LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                08. August 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

HINDU GROUPS APPEAL TO PRESIDENT CHANDRIKA
        Hindu societies in Thanneerutu and Mullaiyawallai (Vanni) have
        written to Sri Lanka's president requesting her to leave Tamil
        people in peace. As she is a Buddhist, their letter says, she
        should practice mercy towards unarmed civilians instead of
        attacking them with weapons of destruction.
        
SCHOOL HEADS MUST TELL MILITARY ABOUT ABSENTEES
        Sri Lanka's military occupying Jaffna has ordered heads of
        schools to inform on any children who go absent from school for
        three days. Head teachers must also report to the military
        whenever a new student enrols in the school. In spite of these
        new regulations Jaffna students are still - in vast numbers -
        being rounded up and arrested in army "search" operations. Many
        are also taken away to military camps for "special
        interrogation".
        
PREGNANT WOMAN DIES DURING CURFEW HOURS
        A pregnant Tamil woman in urgent need of medical care died last
        week unable to leave her Jaffna house and go to hospital during
        army curfew hours. Kanakaratnam Satheesvary (36) of Thanmaradchy
        - who was in an advanced stage of pregnancy - was undergoing
        premature labour pains but the 4pm-6am curfew forced her to
        remain in the house, where she died from lack of medical
        attention.
        
MANNAR SOLDIERS TURN AWAY TAMIL PATIENTS
        Tamil patients arriving in Mannar from Vanni for special
        treatment - as prescribed by their local doctors - are being
        turned back by occupying Sinhala soldiers. Though the people
        possessed all the relevant documents given by their doctors, the
        soldiers adamantly chased them away. Hospitals in army-occupied
        Mannar and Vavuniya are now closed to the people of Vanni.
        
6 SOLDIERS DIE, 26 WOUNDED
        6 Sinhala troops were killed and 26 badly injured on Thursday
        when LTTE forces struck army positions on the
        Nedunkerni-Puliyankulam road. Arms and ammunition was captured.
        
3 TROOPS KILLED, 4 INJURED
        Three Sinhala troops were killed and at least 4 injured in an
        attack by the LTTE at Uyilankulam on Thursday morning. Four
        checkpoints on the Mannar-Uyilankulam road were completely
        destroyed. The attack took place at 2:05am and some arms and
        ammunition was captured. There were 4 LTTE casualties.
        
KFIRs BOMB TAMIL TOWNS FOR 4th DAY
        Morning bombing expeditions by Sri Lankan Kfir warplanes on Vanni
        towns is now habitual. The bombardments seem to be directed at
        exam halls where Tamil students are trying to sit for their 'A'
        level exams. Due to the assaults, exams have been severely
        disrupted.
        
POLICE PATROL INTERCEPTED
        LTTE forces on Tuesday intercepted Sri Lankan paramilitary police
        heading from Palameenmadu to Batticaloa. One paramilitary was
        killed and arms and ammunition were captured. There were no LTTE
        casualties.

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)