LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                08. July 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM
                                           
TAMIL BOY KILLED IN REVENGE ATTACK
	Armed Sinhala homeguards have killed a 14-year old Tamil boy in
	Amparai in revenge for an attack on troopers by LTTE forces. 
	Troops entered the area's central camp settlements and fired on
	innocent civilians killing Rasalingam Sivakumar on the spot.  The
	boy's father, A. Rasalingam, was also injured in the shooting. 
	On the same day (July 1st) a Tamil family who were inside their
	house were attacked with grenades by soldiers.  P. Sarathadevi
	(43), S. Nilanthini (23), K. Uthayakumar (25) and V. Pavithiran
	(1) received bodily injuries in this assault.  Residents of this
	area have in fear taken refuge in Natpiddy Munai Senai
	Kudiyiruppu.
	
	In Batticaloa town armed Sri Lankan homeguards are also reported
	to be on the rampage.  They recently fired on and killed a Tamil
	youth, Pirapa, who chanced to be on the road.   His body was
	later dumped in the Batticaloa hospital.
	
MASSIVE ROUND-UP IN BATTICALOA
	Sinhala forces conducted a massive dawn-to-dusk round-up and
	search operation in two Batticaloa towns - Kiran and
	Korakallimadu - earlier this month.  Troops smashed their way
	into closed houses waking Tamil residents and dragging them into
	an open field for interrogation.  Of those arrested, at least one
	Tamil person is thought to have been killed while in detention
	after his enquiring parents were subsequently told by military
	authorities he had not been arrested.
	
NEW SINHALA  ARMY CAMPS SPRING UP IN JAFFNA
	Sinhala armed forces occupying Jaffna are juggling their troops,
	with some army camps being closed and new ones opened.  The camp
	on Chundikuli-Eachchamoddai junction (in Jaffna town) has been
	closed: but a massive military complex has been established on
	the 4th Cross Street junction.  Alvi Thermuddi Junction is also
	occupied by the Sinhala forces.  Many entry points stretch a long
	way out from this location.  Foreign Sinhala troops are also
	stationed at Kerniady Vairavar Koilady (in Nelliady), and are in
	occupation of the Lakshmi theatre and its nearby houses in the
	same town.
	
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)