LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                16. January 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

COL. KITTU'S 4th DEATH ANNIVERSARY
        Masses of Eelam Tamils took to the streets of Vanni today to mark
        colonel Kittu's death anniversary. The memory of Kittu is a
        source of inspiration to Eelam Tamils who regard both the way he
        lived and died as a noble sacrifice for the sake of his nation.
        Celebrations are being held today all across Vanni as well as in
        other countries where Eelam Tamils are resident. At 9am the Eelam
        national flag was raised at many central locations. Then huge
        portraits of Kittu and his 9 comrades who died with him were
        carried by crowds in a massive  procession. A public meeting will
        later take place to commemorate the departed men. The affection
        people here show for Kittu and his comrades should be a reminder
        to the world of the esteem with which the Tamil people regard the
        LTTE.

SRI LANKAN PATROL BOAT FALLS TO LTTE
        In a successful Sea Tiger mission, the LTTE captured fully intact
        a Sri Lankan navy patrol boat. The sea-battle took place at 10.40
        yesterday morning off the Jaffna coast between Gurunagar and
        Mandaitivu. LTTE boats dodged their way past navy gun-fire and
        attacked two Sri Lankan patrol vessels killing all three
        personnel aboard one of them. The other Sri Lankan craft which
        came under fire turned around and fled in panic. There had been a
        number of other Sri Lankan vessels also in the vicinity but
        rather than coming to the rescue of the attacked boat, they too
        turned and disappeared at high speed back to their Mandaitivu
        naval fortification, leaving the Sea Tigers time to board and
        drive off with the fast patrol boat. The captured vessel is 21
        ft. long and possesses a 40 horsepower engine. Arms and
        ammunition were also on board. The attack comes at a time when
        the LTTE's morale - in stark contrast to Sri Lanka's - is
        evidently at a peak.

MINI ARMY CAMP CAPITULATES - THENMARADCHY
        Three Sri Lankan soldiers were killed this morning during an LTTE
        lightening attack on a mini army camp.  A number of  soldiers
        were seriously injured while the rest fled. There were no
        casualties among the LTTE who took away a significant haul of
        arms and ammunition. The Mirusuvil army camp is situated in
        Thenmaradchy, in the Sri Lankan-occupied part of Jaffna
        peninsula, a place which is becoming increasingly vulnerable to
        LTTE activity.

LTTE OPENS NEW SCHOOL
        The LTTE's administration in the Vanni region with the help of
        locals have opened up a new school for young children in
        Ampalavan Pokkanai (Mullaitivu). The school will give the Tamil
        children in this densely-populated region - many of whom were
        displaced by Sri Lanka's military incursions - a chance to
        restart their education. While facilities are limited under Sri
        Lanka's harsh blockade on the flow of goods to the Vanni the
        spirit of the Tamil people remains strong and many teachers have
        offered their services to the school free of charge. The school
        was opened in memory of the respected Sea Tiger, Major Anbu.

ANOTHER HOSPITAL IN TROUBLE
        Doctors say Mulankavil hospital's influx of patients has risen
        sharply in the last month. In the first week of January alone,
        2300 Tamil patients were received at this hospital. The number of
        patients daily visiting has doubled from 200 to more than 400 in
        the past month. Malaria is by far the main ailment and its high
        incidence is worrying doctors considerably. Cerebral malaria
        accounts for 40% of malaria cases. Malaria is preventable, but
        Sri Lanka deliberately stops anti-malarial drugs reaching
        hospitals in Vanni.


12 TAMILS ROUNDED-UP - KANDY
        A police round-up operation has taken place in Sri Lanka's
        up-country region of Kandy resulting in the arrest of 12 Tamil
        youth. The Kandy police decided that these youth had no valid
        reason to be in Kandy which is the basis of their arrest. Kandy,
        known to many as "hill country", is a region where many Tamils of
        Indian origin work on tea plantations. Police harassment of
        Tamils of Indian origin has risen dramatically in this region and
        also in Colombo in recent months.

ARMY OFFICER KILLED - ANURADHAPURA
        A Sri Lankan army officer died when the LTTE intercepted his
        vehicle in Keppitikolawa (Anuradhapura district). Two other
        soldiers with him were wounded. There were no LTTE casualties.

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)