LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                06. January 1997
PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES - 'OPERATION RIVIJAYA'
        Sri Lankan soldiers shot dead at least two Tamil civilians during
        its recently concluded 'Rivijaya' military operation. Victim S.
        Muthulingam was a 14 year old while Thambirasa Kanthasamy was 32,
        both from Kithul. Family man Sabapathy Mylvaganam meanwhile
        disappeared during the operation and is believed by his family to
        have been murdered by Sinhala armed forces. Operation Rivijaya
        took place in Batticaloa and, like all other Sri Lankan military
        operations, showed no regard for the lives and property of the
        Tamil people. 16 Tamil houses were demolished and 100 Tamil
        families are reported displaced. Further civilian casualties are
        coming to light and will be documented when details are known.

ARMY PATROL INTERCEPTED
        Two Sri Lankan soldiers died when the LTTE intercepted an army
        patrol which had advanced 600 metres from the Jeyanthiya camp in
        Batticaloa. The Sri Lankan soldiers immediately fled leaving a
        quantity of arms and ammunition. One LTTE fighter, Lt Thirumaran,
        also died in the incident.

ANOTHER FALSE ARREST - THANDIKULAM
        Yet another innocent Tamil traveller has been hauled in by Sri
        Lankan soldiers manning the Thandikulam checkpoint in
        army-controlled Vavuniya. The Tamil man has been falsely accused
        of carrying banned items to Tamil Vanni territory, an area to
        which the government bans essential foods and medicines. The
        arrested  man is Selvam Nithans of Vidathal Thivu.

ARMY WITHDRAWS CAMPS IN EAST
        In fear of growing LTTE strength in the east, the Sri Lankan army
        has withdrawn a further three army camps in Amparai, moving
        soldiers to more concentrated sites. Pakkiyella, Nugalantha, and
        Walaweli camps have all been recently evacuated. The insecurity
        of Sri Lankan soldiers occupying certain Tamil lands in the east
        was heightened recently after the LTTE's major assault on the
        Pulukunavai elite STF base in which many commandos were killed.

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/ Fax: 0181-470 8593)