LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                15. August 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

CHANDRIKA CARRIES OUT ATHULATHMUDALAIâS "SINHALISATION" PLAN
        Former minister of national security Mr. Athulathmudali had a
        3-pronged strategy to decimate Tamils: he wanted the Sinhala
        military to take control of the Vavuniya-Jaffna road; to create a
        vast Sinhala colony extending from Anuradhapura to the Mullaitivu
        coast (to bifurcate the north/east); and to snatch away the
        fishing rights of Tamils in the north/east. This sinister design
        is being actively followed through by the Chandrika government
        today. We have seen, respectively, the Jaya Sikurui operation (to
        capture the highway), the announcement of Manal Aru as a separate
        district (bifurcation of the homeland) and the successive bans on
        Tamil fishing. The re-naming of Tamil villages with Sinhalese
        names is part and parcel of these plans. Jaffna was renamed "Yapa
        Patuna", and Parayanalamkulam renamed as Sapumalpura. This week,
        the Vavuniya village of Neriyakulam has got a new Sinhala name,
        Gayasingapura, with the tacit approval of the MP for the area.
        
ARRESTED TAMIL FOUND DEAD IN COLOMBO PRISON
        An old Tamil man recently arrested by the Sinhala military from
        his home in Thanankilappu (Thenmaradchy) is reported dead in
        Colomboâs Welikada jail. Sanmugam (73) was arrested with many
        others last month during a round-up. His arrest was later denied
        by the Sinhala military authorities. Mystery surrounds the fate
        of the others. In July last year 23 Tamil youths similarly went
        missing after a round-up operation in the neighbouring village of
        Thatchanthoppu.
        
JAFFNA RETURNEES FIND THEIR HOUSES HAVE GONE
        68 Tamil families who returned to Selvanayakapuram (Atchuvely,
        Jaffna) have found their houses gone. 108 houses in the town have
        been demolished by the Sinhala army in order to erect military
        bunds. In the whole of Jaffna the number of houses demolished for
        the same purpose is 70,000.
        
TWO YOUTHS MISSING
        Fears are growing for two Tamil youths arrested by a joint
        army-police unit in Mamankam (Batticaloa town). As usual, the
        Sinhala military is refusing to discuss their whereabouts.
        
AMBUSH ATTEMPT FOILED
        Five Sinhala troops in Mallakam Jaffna have been wounded after
        LTTE forces foiled an ambush attempt on them. The troops were
        lying concealed waiting for the LTTE when the LTTE struck first.
        
GUNBOATS RAKE MULLAITIVU COAST
        A passing Sri Lankan navy patrol has raked Mullaitivu coastal
        settlements -- Alampil, Semmalai and Nayaru -- with gunfire at
        3.30 Thursday morning. Fortunately there were no casualties. Then
        at 8am Kfir planes flew over coastal areas in Mullaitivu dropping
        a series of high-powered bombs, striking Nayaru in particular.
        
TEEDOR RELEASES JOURNAL
        TEEDOR has released its latest journal. The paper is devoted to
        the economic development of Tamil Eelam and its scientific
        advance. This edition carries an introduction by Tamil Eelam«s
        national leader, Mr. V. Prabhakaran.
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)