LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                28. March 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

CANCER HOSPITAL TO BECOME A DETENTION CENTRE
	The cancer hospital in Tellipallai - built at considerable
	expense from foreign funds -  is being renovated to become the
	major detention centre for the north. Military officials have
	submitted proposals to the government to convert the hospital
	complex into a high-security site for interrogation and detention
	of Tamils. There are even plans to devise a special room for
	carrying out more novel forms of interrogation, basically
	torture. Already every army camp in the northeast routinely
	carries out torture of Tamils. Concrete bunkers and barbed wire
	fences have been put in place around the hospital's outer
	boundary. The premises have been designated a maximum security
	zone. The public may not use the road running alongside the
	emerging 'prison'.  The plan to dismantle the cancer hospital in
	favour of a detention centre is a poignant reminder of the true
	character of this Sinhala government's invasion of the northeast,
	where Tamils' lives and dignity are being eroded by the hour.

ROUND-UPS IN TRINCO A DAILY OCCURRENCE
	Cordon and search operations by Sri Lankan forces are occurring
	once a day in Trincomallee, in the island's east. The procedure
	is the same as anywhere else occupied by the Sinhala military.
	Tamils are marched to open fields and hand-picked for arrest by
	masked 'informers'. The Sinhala armed forces have no regard for
	the terror these exercises induce in the Tamil population,
	especially among young children. Those taken away are often not
	seen again.

	Sinhalese and Muslims are not included in these round-up
	operations. Not widely known is that Tamils there are required by
	law to hang on their front door the name of the householder so
	that soldiers can identify them as Tamils. The Tamil population
	of Trincomallee had a brief respite during the recent local
	elections when many soldiers left for election duty in the south,
	but now the soldiers are back and engaging more vigorously in
	round-ups.

7 APPLICATION FORMS NEEDED TO TRAVEL ON ROAD
	Tamils wishing to travel across the Vavuniya-Mannar highway -
	which was occupied by the Sri Lankan army during operation
	'Edibala' - have to fill in an application form explaining to
	Sinhala military officials their reasons for travelling. The
	Tamils must make seven copies of this form which has to be sent
	to a whole network of other officials. The final say belongs to
	the assistant superintendent of police who deems whether the
	travel is necessary. After he has perused their forms, this man
	calls prospective travellers to his office where they are
	questioned further.
	
	This practice is yet another violation of the civil liberties of
	Tamils in Sri Lanka. The practice is proving to be headache to
	all Tamils wanting to make the simple Vavuniya-Mannar journey.

TAMIL WOMEN SHOT BY SOLDIERS
	Two women held by military officials in one of Vavuniya's
	notorious detention centres have been shot by Sri Lankan
	soldiers. Mary Stella (29) and Lakshmi (27) are both badly
	injured. Doctors at Vavuniya hospital are particularly concerned
	about Lakshmi's condition. The reason for the shooting is not yet
	known. They were inmates of Poomthoddam detention centre
	(Vavuniya).

TAMIL DAY IN POONERYN-NALLUR SCHOOL
	Tamil Day contests took place recently celebrating the national
	culture of Tamil Eelam. Traditional songs, speech and drama took
	pride of place. The events were preceded by the raising of the
	Tamil Eelam national flag by Saveri, head of the Mannar students'
	federation. The traditional oil lamp was lit by education officer
	for Pooneryn, N. Yogendranathan.

VICTIMS OF MILITARY SADISM IDENTIFIED
	The two Tamil boys gunned down by Sri Lankan soldiers in
	Kaluvankerni (Batticaloa) have been identified. They are
	Kulanthaivel Sanmugam and Sanmugam Thavarasa. The boys were
	stopped in the street by an army patrol and made to carry the
	soldiers' gear for a distance. When the soldiers became bored of
	this game they started to beat the boys with their rifle butts,
	then shot them dead. 
	
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 / Fax: 0181-470 8593)