LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                31. January 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

BAKERY BOMBED - TWO KILLED
        The Sri Lankan airforce has for a second day targeted civilian
        centres in Udayarkaddu (Mullaitivu) this time killing two bakers.
        Kandiah Rajakumar (31) and Vishnukumar Vallimayil (40) died
        instantly when the Sri Lankan Puccara dropped bombs on the bakery
        where they were working. A woman, Sarojadevi (27), was also hurt
        in the blasts and remains in a critical condition and the same
        plane dropped three bombs on Tamil rice fields which had been
        ready for harvest. Many cattle died in the attack. This is not
        the first of its kind in recent months. Sri Lanka is attempting
        to break Tamils' will power by destroying their means of
        survival.

SRI LANKAN MINE WOUNDS BOY
        A Tamil boy has lost his foot after falling victim to a Sri
        Lankan landmine in Nallur North (Jaffna). The 16-year old boy was
        tending his garden and the shovel he was holding accidentally hit
        the device under the earth. The mine was planted by Sri Lanka
        during its recent operations to occupy Jaffna. The boy is now
        recovering in the Jaffna teaching hospital.  Hundreds of Tamils
        have lost their limbs in mine explosions since the army took over
        Jaffna in December 1995.

WIDOWS AND CHILDREN GET HELP
        A new welfare organisation has been set up to assist Tamil widows
        and children of civilians killed by Sri Lankan forces. The "War
        Widows Welfare Society" is an LTTE-assisted initiative and will
        operate from Akkarayan and Pudukudiyiruppu providing housing and
        other forms of relief to the worst affected. The LTTE maintains
        its efforts to care for the social welfare of Tamil civilians
        even while resisting Sri Lankan occupation of the Tamil homeland. 

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)