LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                21. July 1997

PRESS RELEASE 
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM
                                           
INDEFINITE CURFEW IMPOSED; ARMY RAIDS UNDERWAY - JAFFNA
	The Valigamam sector of the Jaffna peninsula has been put under
	an indefinite army curfew. The measure came into effect yesterday
	morning, when thousands of Sinhalese troops in battle tanks and
	armoured vehicles cordoned off the entire area. As this report
	goes out, house to house searches are still being carried out in
	Uurumpirai, Kopay, Neervely, Irupalai, Atchelu and Urelu (all in
	Valigamam east), and the area's residents are in a panic. No
	prior notice was given in advance of the raid except for a brief
	radio announcement from the army's Palali HQ a few minutes before
	the operation commenced, saying an "indefinite curfew" was in
	place. Further news is awaited.
	
JAFFNA RETURNEES SENT TO DETENTION CAMP
	Thousands of displaced Tamil civilians in Mannar who were forced
	by Sri Lanka's military forces to return to Jaffna are now
	stranded in the peninsula in a small building belonging to the
	Cey-Nor corporation in Gurunagar (north of Jaffna town). The
	civilians - men, women and children - are not allowed to leave
	the building and are not permitted adequate food supplies. Their
	original homes in coastal Passaiyoor and Gurunagar are either
	damaged beyond repair or occupied by Sinhalese soldiers, which is
	why they are being indefinitely held in this detention centre.
	Contagious diseases, predictably, have started to spread within
	the detention centre.
	
35 SHELLS HIT ODDUSUDDAN IN SPACE OF TWO HOURS
	Displaced Tamils sheltering in Oddusuddan's temples and schools
	have again been displaced by artillery fired by Sri Lankan troops
	at Nedunkerni. Refugees huddled in the Ganesha temple and
	Oddusuddan school are now on the move, again uncertain of their
	future. Around 35 shells were fired in the space of two hours
	yesterday - between 11am and 1pm. A motor-cyclist was thrown off
	his bike when he was hit by shrapnel from the artillery barrage.
	He is in hospital in a critical condition.
	
TWO SOLDIERS KILLED IN EAST
	Two Sri Lankan soldiers died and many more were injured when LTTE
	forces launched an attack on Thavulwewa army checkpost in
	Trincomalee. The remaining soldiers fled the scene. LTTE forces
	did not incur any casualties and some arms and equipment were
	captured.
	
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)