LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                29. August 1997
PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

LTTE'S "VIDUTHALAI PULIGAL" RELEASED TOMORROW
	LTTE's official organ Viduthalai Puligal will be released tomorrow
	(30.08.97). This is the August issue and it will carry candid analyses
	of the recent Jayasikurui battles and the military strategies involved
	in them. The journal also includes political analysis, particularly of
	the Australian foreign minister Downer's unhelpful comments during his
	recent visit to Colombo. The Chandrika regime's duplicity in
	presenting a dubious devolution package while carrying out a war of
	attrition against the Tamil people is also studied in detail.
	
CALL FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY DRIVE BY LTTE AND TRO
	At a TRO-organised prize-giving for Tamil farmers in Puthukudiyiruppu
	(Vanni), TRO's head Mr. Ravi stated to the audience of cultivators
	that they must cultivate their soil with the same vigour they are
	showing in war. He went on, "The enemy is trying to humble us with
	starvation. We can win only by producing our own food." Mr. Ravi said
	the TRO was here to help steer such a food production drive. His
	powerful speech was matched by LTTE representative Mr. Balakumaran who
	said the Tamil struggle is "bound to the soil". He emphasised the need
	for Tamil Eelam to achieve self-sufficiency to combat the evil designs
	of the Sri Lankan government.
	
TRO HELPS REPAIR ROAD
	While the Sinhala military tries its best to hamper the development of
	Tamil areas, TRO has succeeded in mobilising local Tamils to repair
	the Mudkompan-Skanthapuram road. The people of the area offered their
	labour free of charge for a whole day to do the repair work and the
	road is now in good shape.
	
GOVT. ENGINEERS STARVATION IN BATTICALOA
	Tamils in Batticaloa are undergoing large-scale deprivation and hunger
	because the government excludes them deliberately from any poverty
	alleviation schemes while stopping them getting food elsewhere. 96,619
	people living outside areas of Sinhala military control are restricted
	by the military from venturing out to obtain food. The labouring
	classes here have no employment, over 75% of the people are living
	below the poverty line and malnutrition is rife. Infant deaths occur
	with tragic frequency owing to the pattern of poverty and neglect.
	Meanwhile the government stops even well-meaning NGOs from giving
	assistance to these people. It is part and parcel of its strategy to
	break Tamil people's will to resist Sinhala military occupation.
	
TWO RAPIST SOLDIERS RELEASED ON BAIL
	Two Sinhalese soldiers in Jaffna who repeatedly raped a Tamil woman of
	Nelliady (Vadamaradchy) were recently let out of court on bail. The
	magistrate let them off with a personal bail of a mere 2500 rupees.
	The money was not paid to court. Neither was a formal charge-sheet
	presented to the accused. In all probability the two rapists will get
	off scott-free, encouraging other soldiers to do the same.
	
TWO WOMEN GRASS-CUTTERS ABDUCTED BY SINHALA MILITARY
	Two young Tamil women out cutting grass for their living were abducted
	in Amparai by a group of Sinhala soldiers. There can be little doubt
	that these women, like countless others before them, are being
	subjected to rape by the soldiers. Tamils in Amparai are not allowed
	to cultivate their own lands by an army order and these women were
	reduced to doing grass-cutting in order to sell the grass as fodder.

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)