TamilNet: Press Release 16 Sept 97 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. 16.September1997 LTTE PRESS RELEASE NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM LT. COL. THILEEPAN REMEMBERED Revered LTTE fighter Thileepan - who died fasting in 1987 - is being remembered in Tamil Eelam, as happens every year between the dates of 15th and 26th September. People from all walks of life - irrespective of age or sex - participate in this annual event. Special prayers are held in all places of worship. Schools, shops and businesses are decorated with yellow and red Tamil Eelam flags and flowers as a mark of respect and passers-by show their affection by lowering their heads when they pass specially decorated locations. The people of Puthukudiyiruppu have shown an unprecedented zeal during this year's celebrations. The first day of events held here was one of the most inspiring in recent times. =46ULL MILITARY HONOURS FOR LT. THAYA Full military honours were paid on Friday to LTTE fighter Lt. Thaya of Vallimunai (Mannar). She died in battle on Wednesday when LTTE forces successfully drove back Sinhalese troops from Puthur junction. Her body was brought from her parental home to the Martyrs' Hall where Mr. Stanchas, head of the burial grounds, delivered the address honouring Lt. Thaya. Student leader Selvaraj also addressed the gathering. The martyr's body was then taken to the Periya Panrivirichchan national heroes burial grounds in a long procession to the accompaniment of band music. Vast crowds attended to show their respect. VANNI CHILDREN GET HEALTHY DRINK To beat the Sinhala government's food-blockade of Tamil Vanni, efforts have been made by the LTTE and Kilinochchi's multi-purpose co-operative societies' union to provide a nutritious drink a day to school children. Students of the Selvanakar Tamil mixed school are the latest beneficiaries, who will get a cup of leafy gruel every day as of last Friday. TRO ACTIVE IN DEVELOPING VANNI TRO's Accelerated Development Programme is helping the students of Vanni, as well as adults and young children. They have opened 16 education service centres all over Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya. These centres will help with the restoration of school buildings as well as the supply of school equipment and stationary. The Sri Lankan government presently tries to disrupt all development efforts by Tamils in Vanni. Meanwhile, TRO is also managing old people's homes, for those who have lost contact with their families due to displacements caused by the Sinhalese military. ARMY SHELLING DISRUPTS EDUCATION IN VANNI Schools formerly functioning in Oddusuddan but now in Katsilaimadu (after the army shelling of Oddusuddan) are still unable to proceed properly because the army is shelling Katsilaimadu. Teachers are reluctant, under the circumstances, to attend assignments here. More than 500 students are without adequate teaching staff. 2 STF PERSONNEL KILLED Members of the Sinhalese STF who were waiting to ambush LTTE fighters came under an LTTE counter-attack which killed two of them. One LTTE fighter was also killed. The STF are deeply resented by Tamil people. They are notorious for carrying out torture and murders against Tamil civilians in the areas they occupy. HEADLESS BODY FOUND NEAR ARMY CAMP The headless body of a Tamil man arrested earlier by the Sinhala military during a routine round-up as been found 200 yards from the Siththandy army camp. S. Chinnadurai was twenty-six years old with two children. He was a resident of Siththandy (Batticaloa). SINHALA PRIEST SAYS DECLARE JAFFNA A HOLY BUDDHIST CITY Venerable Dhammaloka Gnanaseeha Thero (high priest) has told a gathering of educationalists, officials and politicians that the grounds of the newly-built Buddhist temple at Aryakulam junction in Jaffna town should be expanded. He added that the larger area should be designated a holy Buddhist reservation and that Sinhalese Buddhists should be exclusively settled there. The colonists should then be guarded by a permanent Sinhalese army camp, he suggested. The government is reported to be seriously considering the proposal. NAMES OF TEN CIVILIANS ARRESTED NOW KNOWN Out of scores of Tamil civilians arrested last month in Valigamam, Thenmaradchy and Vadamaradchy divisions (Jaffna) during Sinhalese army cordon and search operations, the names of ten civilians have been established. Nothing is known about the others in custody. The ten are: =46rom Vadamaradchy 1. Kunasingam Vijayakumar (Thondamanaru) 2. Kathiran Jegathas (Thondamanaru) 3. Kumar Vinothakumar (Udupiddy) 4. Sethupillai Pratheep (Udupiddy) 5. Sinnathambi Sinnathurai (Karaveddy) =46rom Valikamam 6. Sivapalan Nakalagan (Chulipuram) 7. Selvanayagam Sathiyasaibaba (Inuvil) 8. Rasaratnam Kanesalingam (Varanai) 9. Pararasasinkam Paskaran (Erlalai) 10 Thevendiran Rahu (Achchelu) THREE FISHERMEN CHARGED UNDER PTA Three innocent Tamil fishermen who were found adrift in Mullaitivu's seas and picked up by the Sinhalese navy are now charged under the prevention of terrorism act. The attorney general has charged them with aiding and abetting the LTTE in unloading arms and ammunition on unspecified dates in the Mullaitivu district. The charges have been entirely cooked up. The fishermen have been remanded until the end of this month by the Trincomalee magistrate. INNOCENT TAMIL CIVILIANS LOCKED UP BY ARMY Several Tamil residents of Mathiamadu and Semamadu who fled their homes to escape military assaults but returned later to recover valuables have been arrested by the Sinhala military. They are reported to be undergoing torture. KEROSENE SHORTAGE IN JAFFNA There is a major shortage in Jaffna of kerosene oil used for lighting oil lamps. The quota for August has not arrived and the limited quantities are being sold to householders. 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-09.17.97-21:32:52-3133