LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                10. August 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

TRAGEDY OF VANNI'S ORPHANED CHILDREN
	Hundreds of Tamil children orphaned in attacks by Sri Lankan
	forces are on the streets begging for their livelihood. These
	children whose parents have been killed by Sri Lankan air and
	artillery fire are fending for themselves and begging
	door-to-door for food. Elderly people who have lost their closest
	relatives in Sri Lankan attacks are also destitute and reduced to
	begging to stay alive. Recognising the enormity of this human
	tragedy, TRO with the assistance of the LTTE civil administration
	has intervened to ease the situation. It has opened relief
	centres for the young and elderly who lack any other means of
	support. These centres will provide food, clothing, shelter and
	educational facilities to children of schoolgoing age; those who
	cannot fend for themselves will be looked after; adoption
	arrangements will be made for infants whose parents have been
	killed by Sri Lankan bombs, shells and bullets; and homes for the
	elderly will be set up.
	
SINHALA MILITARY BURNS DOWN 14 TAMIL HOUSES
	A Sinhala army patrol last week set fire to 14 Tamil houses in
	Mailankurichchi (Valaichchenai, Batticaloa) for no apparent
	reason. The houses were torched with all valuables still inside
	after the Tamil occupants were driven out of their homes at
	gunpoint. A few more houses were partially burnt. Unrest and
	panic prevails in and around the area, with residents fearing
	more such attacks.
	
NIGHT CURFEW IMPOSED IN TRINCO
	Sri Lanka's military has unofficially stopped all-night civilian
	movement in Trincomalee. The order has caused considerable
	distress to the large number of Tamils being forcibly kept by the
	army in Trincomalee's port city. Roads leading to and from
	Trincomalee are closed between 6pm and 7am. The order also
	applies to inner roads and lanes.
	
NAVY BLASTS FISHING BOATS
	Sri Lankan navy patrols attacked Tamil fishing boats off
	Mullaitivu's coast last night. Several boats with fishermen on
	board -- from Ampalavan, Pokkanai, Maththalan, Mulliwaikwal and
	Mullaitivu -- are now missing. A few fishermen who scrambled back
	to safety reported the incident.
	
20,000 PATIENTS TREATED AT MULLAITIVU HOSPITAL IN ONE MONTH
	19,045 outdoor patients and 1540 indoor patients were treated in
	Mullaitivu's district hospital in May 1997 alone, reflecting the
	massive increase in diseases affecting Mullaitivu's
	medicine-starved population. The smaller Mulliyawallai hospital
	treated 5000 patients in the same period. Sri Lanka prevents the
	entry of medicine to Vanni districts and diseases are spreading
	uncontrollably.
	
275 BATTICALOA TAMILS IN FAST TILL DEATH
	275 Batticaloa Tamils whose lands and homes were grabbed by the
	Sinhalese government to make room for an extension of
	Batticaloa's military airport will begin a death-fast on Monday.
	No compensation was given to these families who were literally
	driven away from their long-time homes more than four years ago.
	In desperation they have resorted to fasting.


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)