LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                12. February 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

LTTE POISED TO DEFEAT GOVT'S MILITARY PLAN
        The LTTE's official journal in Tamil Eelam has spelled out the
        future course of the Tamil people's struggle against Sri Lankan
        occupation. "Viduthalai Puligal" says LTTE fighters are at this
        moment strategically placed to meet the oncoming Sinhala army in
        what it announces will be a tremendous clash. The paper outlines
        Sri Lanka's military plan to cut a land-route all the way from
        Colombo to Jaffna, for which it has to push its way through
        LTTE-held Vanni. The government's plan is to eventually claim the
        whole island as Sri Lankan territory thereby undermining the
        territorial integrity of the northeast Tamil nation. But the
        military's proposed link-up of Colombo and Jaffna, the journal
        says, will be time-consuming as each successive stage requires a
        consolidation of troops after capturing intervening territory.
        This will leave the stretched-out Sinhala army extremely
        vulnerable while highly-motivated LTTE fighters are poised in
        massive numbers ready to attack the occupying forces with full
        force at every turn.

LTTE RANKS KEEP ON SWELLING
        Tamil youths in Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts are
        flocking to join the LTTE as Sri Lankan forces advance on the
        Tamil homeland. Feeling the urgency of the threat from Sinhala
        armed forces, young Tamil men and women are enrolling with the
        LTTE at an unprecedented rate. LTTE ranks have swelled
        considerably since the new year with Puthukudiyiruppu and
        Kanakarayan Kulam areas drawing a notably high influx of new
        cadres.

16 PARAMILITARY POLICE DIE
        LTTE forces yesterday morning intercepted paramilitary police who
        were on their way to their posts at Thunkavil (Batticaloa). More
        than 16 police died and a quantity of arms and ammunition was
        captured. The LTTE lost one fighter, Lt. Kunatheepan.

TAMIL LANDS SCORCHED IN ARMY ADVANCE
        Sri Lanka's 'Operation Edibala' is continuing with troops setting
        fire to Tamil crops as they advance. So far, a string of Tamil
        villages between Vavuniya and Mannar have been occupied. Soldiers
        descended on these villages like swarms of locusts sending
        residents running in terror as their homes were bombed and
        bulldozed. Acres of rice fields have been purposely scorched
        during the assault in what is becoming a more and more typical
        military tactic. While enforcing a food blockade to Tamil areas,
        Sri Lanka is systematically wiping out Tamils' own attempts at
        cultivation. The airforce, meanwhile, is targeting houses and
        public buildings making it difficult for civilians to return to
        their lives. Around 10,000 displaced Tamils are already crammed
        into Maddu Church refugee camp. Other displaced civilians have
        sought safety in the town of Iranai Illupaikulam. Sri Lanka
        pursues its military campaign under cover of a reporting ban in
        the areas of fighting, effectively screening the extent of damage
        being inflicted on the Tamil population. All war news presently
        emanates from Colombo through defence ministry statements.

9000 TREATED IN MULANKAVIL HOSPITAL - JANUARY
        Last month alone 9000 Tamils underwent treatment at the general
        hospital in Mulankavil (Vanni), according to doctors estimates.
        The figures for January 1997 show that at least 775 of these
        patients had to be admitted for further treatment and kept in for
        longer periods. Diseases have shot up in recent months as Sri
        Lanka's food and medicine blockade to Tamil areas takes its toll
        on the civilian population. Typhoid, diarrhoea, malaria and
        septicaemia are rapidly on the rise bringing misery to vast
        numbers of people, including many children. The government stops
        even Panadol getting through. The hospital, meanwhile, has only
        one qualified doctor and two attendant nurses while kerosene
        lamps are having to suffice since the government has cut
        electricity supplies to the entire area. Years of wilful
        government neglect coupled with medical embargoes have ensured
        that Tamil hospitals in Vanni have been reduced to this
        unmanageable condition.

ARMY SHELLS INJURE OLD WOMAN
        An elderly Tamil woman has been badly wounded after Sri Lankan
        artillery shells landed on her village of Omanthai. The shells
        came from the army base at Vavuniya where regular indiscriminate
        barrages are launched towards nearby Tamil villages. Each time
        residents hear the first few shells they are forced to run for
        cover. Sporadic artillery-fire has been continuing throughout the
        past few days making life intolerable. In the village of
        Sonthakarankulam many cattle were recently killed by the
        shelling.

INNOCENT TAMILS DIE IN ARMY AMBUSHES
        The Tamil businessman who was killed in a Sri Lankan army ambush
        in Seruwila (Trincomalee) on 1st of February was a well-respected
        member of the Tamil community. The victim, Kanapathy Pechchimuthu
        (31), was on personal business when the unprovoked attack
        happened. A Tamil father of six was also killed recently in a
        similar ambush in Kunchan Kulam (Batticaloa). He was 56-year old
        K. Velmurugu. He had been passing by a road when low-lying
        soldiers opened fire.

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 / Fax: 0181-470 8593)