LTTE Headquarters,
                                                Tamil Eelam.
                                                31. March 1997


PRESS RELEASE
NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM

GIRL, 14, LOSES BOTH LEGS IN ARMY MINE BLAST
	A Tamil girl is the latest victim of a Sri Lankan army landmine
	in the Jaffna peninsula. Sri Lankan soldiers had just vacated an
	army checkpoint in Chunnakam and buried a number of devices in
	surrounding areas. The fourteen year old girl, Kupenthiran
	Poovathani, had both her legs blasted off below the knee.

UNREST ON MANNAR ISLAND AS ARMY GRIP HARDENS
	The Tamil residents of Mannar Island - which is under Sri Lankan
	occupation - are becoming increasingly unsettled at the harsh
	military tactics being adopted here. Under virtual imprisonment,
	residents are allowed no contact with the outside world while
	terrifying round-ups are conducted daily. But residents' biggest
	dread is the midnight knock on the door by Sinhala soldiers.
	Countless Tamil youths have already been taken in this manner and
	not returned. The people remain on tenterhooks for most of the
	time. Meanwhile, the entire Pesalai town has been closed down by
	Sinhala military officials. For the last week no shops have been
	allowed to open. The military oppression of the Tamil people
	under the Chandrika government has reached heights not
	experienced before.

REVEREND FATHER HILLARY JEBANESAN PASSES AWAY
	The respected Reverend father Hillary Jebanesan passed away on
	Saturday after suffering a sudden heart attack. Local director of
	the Hudec organisation, the reverend was widely admired by Tamil
	people for his unwavering commitment to helping those who have
	been displaced by successive Sri Lankan military operations. It
	will be hard to replace a man of such stature and
	kind-heartedness. He was a pillar of strength to the thousands of
	Tamils who found themselves suddenly languishing in streets and
	made refugees. The reverend's mortal remains will be taken to
	Jaffna for burial today after a thanksgiving mass in Amaithipuram
	(Kilinochchi) at 4pm this evening.

MILLIONAIRE TAMIL BUSINESSMAN ARRESTED IN COLOMBO
	A millionaire businessman has been arrested by Sri Lankan police
	in Colombo. Being a Tamil, the man had been closely scrutinised
	by police. Before long, they decided to arrest him. It is an open
	secret that wealthy Tamils have become soft targets for Sinhala
	police who after framing charges - in this case saying the man
	was helping transport goods to the LTTE - demand huge payment for
	their release. In Sri Lanka Tamils are powerless to defend
	themselves against incidents like this and there is never a word
	from Sinhala political leaders to discourage these sorts of
	practices.

TAMIL FARMER KILLED BY ARMY SHELLING
	Marimuthu Kandasamy (44) was last week killed by Sri Lankan army
	shells while he was tilling his plot of land in Vantharumoolai
	(Batticaloa). The artillery was fired from the Kommathurai army
	camp. He leaves behind a large family.
	
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)