LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                18. February 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

LTTE'S CULTURAL MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 50th EDITION
	The golden issue of the popular Tamil-monthly "Velichcham" is now
	out on the news-stands of Tamil Vanni. The journal, published by
	the Arts and Culture department of the LTTE, attracts a wide
	readership and has become famous for its poignant articles,
	reviews, short stories, art-work and poetry. Contributors hail
	from all over Tamil Eelam and the journal has earned a central
	place in Tamil Eelam's rich cultural heritage. In this, its 50th
	edition, the journal inscribes a personal message from Tamil
	Eelam's national leader Mr V. Prabhakaran, in which he
	congratulates the dedicated efforts of the editorial board and
	public contributors. Mr Prabhakaran praises the way the magazine
	has accurately portrayed the Tamil nation's struggle against
	occupation and how it has helped promote people's liberation not
	only from national oppression but also from other more entrenched
	social inequities too. The Tamil people, Mr Prabhakaran says,
	have been left no alternative but to struggle and the work of
	"Velichcham" has helped proudly raise the spirit of the Tamil
	people to new artistic heights even during a time of immense
	difficulty in the history of the nation.

MASKED MEN SINGLE OUT "SUSPECTS" FOR BEATING
	The port city of Trincomallee is today the scene of arcane
	rituals conducted by the Sri Lankan army. Brigadier Kularatne,
	the military commander in charge of the area, organises daily
	interrogations in which Tamils are paraded before 'masked
	informers' who hand-pick people for beatings by the army. The
	army's efforts last weekend focused on the Tamil residents of
	Main Street, Centre Road and Ehamparam Street who were all made
	to assemble at the local bus stand. Masked men were then sent
	down the aisles singling out men, women and children one by one.
	Those pulled out were beaten in front of the others as soldiers
	shouted at them to confess to "terrorist connections". Residents
	of Kaskisa Road, Rajavarothayam Road, Saratha Lane and Moor Road
	underwent a similar ordeal in front of the local hindu temple.
	Sometimes the army invites Sinhala residents to watch such
	spectacles which have now literally become a daily occurrence.
	Colombo-based Sinhala journalists have shown little interest in
	reporting or investigating such incidents preferring to rely
	wholly on defence ministry statements.

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)