LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                05. July 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM
                                           
PRABHAKARAN INTERVENES TO RELEASE TWO INDONESIANS
	Tamil Eelam's national leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has
	intervened on humanitarian grounds to secure the release of two
	Indonesian crewmen arrested after the vessel they were employed
	on was found trespassing within Tamil Eelam's maritime limits.
	41-year old sailor Nankat and 44-year old engineer Vajudeen (both
	Indonesians) were arrested by LTTE officials a few days ago after
	the ship was found within the maritime limits of Tamil Eelam, off
	Pesalai (Mannar). Mr. Prabhakaran ordered the release of the two
	persons on humanitarian grounds. The two men were handed over
	yesterday morning in Mankulam by LTTE political officer Mr.
	Thangan to ICRC representative Mr. John Borr.
	
HUMAN CHAIN PROTEST AGAINST "STATE TERROR"
	A massive human chain demonstration condemning the "state
	terrorism" of the Government of Sri Lankan took place yesterday
	across the Tamil town of Puthukudiyiruppu. The hungry, homeless,
	bedraggled Tamil people of the Vanni flocked together in huge
	numbers and held hands forming a chain that spanned several
	miles. They chanted slogans decrying a government which they
	accused of crippling them deliberately. They shouted that all the
	actions taking place in Tamil areas - referring to indiscriminate
	bombing, food and medicine embargoes and denial of the right to
	education were all symbols of "state terror". The protest -
	organised by the Confederation of People's Committees began at
	9am and went on till evening, when a public meeting took place
	addressed by the Union of NGOs, welfare groups for the displaced
	and Catholic and Hindu priests. A memorandum was later handed
	over to the organisation RED BARNA for the attention of the UN
	secretary general regarding the current desperation of the Tamil
	population of Vanni. Another document was handed to Mullaitivu
	officials for the attention of Sri Lanka's president. There are
	some half a million Tamils who have been presently homeless as a
	result of the Chandrika-government's successive military
	operations in the Tamil homeland.
	
ARMY SHELLS TARGET ON UNHCR "SAFE HAVEN"
	Sri Lankan forces have shelled an area of Puthur
	(Puthuvilankulam) which a few days ago was designated by the
	UNHCR as a "safety zone". Early reports say there are some human
	casualties. The safety zone covers an area of 2.5 sq. km and
	there are about 10,000 Tamil people who are within it. Water is
	in short supply here.

TWO GIRLS BACK FROM SAUDI "ARRESTED" BY SINHALA SOLDIERS
	Two Tamil girls returning from Saudi Arabia have been arrested by
	Sinhala soldiers at Vavuniya. They had been travelling with Sri
	Lankan Red Cross officials in a Red Cross vehicle (bearing the
	red cross insignia) when troops off-loaded them and took them
	away. The whereabouts of the girls are still not known though the
	incident happened four days ago. The girls' parents - mindful of
	the appalling human rights record of Sinhala forces - fear the
	worst for their daughters.
	
MSF DOCTORS COMPLAIN ABOUT MEDICAL EMBARGO
	Doctors of the respected French aid agency MSF operating in the
	Mallavi hospital say they cannot provide a proper service to
	Tamil patients because of the Sri Lankan government's medical
	embargo to the Vanni. Last month alone, over 17,000 patients had
	to be treated at Mallavi hospital owing to the outbreak of severe
	illness caused by the food and medicine embargoes. However, these
	patients did not receive adequate treatment because of the
	scarcity of medicines. Only 42 beds are found in the hospital but
	there are at least 150 patients accommodated there at a time.
	
JULY 5 BLACK TIGERS DAY
	July 5 is 'black tigers' day in Tamil Eelam. The 'black tigers'
	are the immortal heroes who by their selfless martyrdom have
	earned a permanent place in the history of oppressed peoples. Ten
	years ago captain Miller blasted the enemy's camp on 5th day of
	July. Thereafter this date is one for solemn contemplation and
	celebration. Today Vanni once again celebrates 'black tigers
	martyrs day' as a significant mile post on our road to freedom.
	
JAFFNA UPDATE
	200 metric tonnes of spoilt flour unfit for human consumption was
	passed on by the government to Tamil bakeries in Jaffna last
	week. Local bakers refused to use it. Jaffna has become the
	government's dumping-ground for waste materials gathered from
	other parts of the island.
	
	Drunken Sri Lankan soldiers standing by a post office in
	Chulipuram went berserk attacking ordinary civilians with
	rifle-butts. 39-year old Kanthasamy Sivasubramaniam (father of 3)
	is in Jaffna teaching hospital in a dangerous condition.
	
	Fish retailers from Valigamam west have been stopped by Sinhala
	military authorities from making purchases in Vadamaradchy.
	Without such purchases these retailers cannot make a living.
	
	Jaffna lorry drivers are refusing to work for the measly pay
	given by the Sinhala military regime. Officers have threatened to
	bring Sinhala lorry drivers from Colombo instead.

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)