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DATE=11/9/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA DEFEAT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255954
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, 
has conceded losing towns in the country's north, in 
the recent fighting between Tamil Tiger rebels and 
government soldiers. Vandana Chopra has the details 
from Colombo. 
TEXT:  Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, 
says government troops have reported to their 
respective commanders in the Northern Wanni region of 
Sri Lanka and have regrouped and reorganized 
themselves after reports of the worst losses of 
territory in years to the rebels.
President Kumaratunga says the recent spate of 
confrontations between the government armed forces and 
rebels has resulted in the loss of control by the army 
in the strategically important towns of Oddusudan, 
Nedunkerni, Mankulam and Kanagarayankulam.
President Kumaratunga says she has taken serious note 
of the incidents and directed certain changes in the 
army's command structure and has also instituted a 
court of inquiry to examine and report on the 
battlefield losses.
The statement, her first since fierce fighting broke 
out last week, also criticized the media  for having 
grossly exaggerated casualty figures of government 
forces.  President Kumaratunga says only 101 
government troops were killed in the fighting last 
week with another 743 wounded and 122 missing.  The 
Tamil Tiger rebels claimed about one thousand 
government soldiers were killed or wounded.
Meanwhile, government military officials say troops 
are taking up new defenses and carrying out small 
group operations to prevent Tamil Tiger rebels from 
infiltrating the army lines any further. And the 
President says government forces have had some recent 
success against the rebels in the western sector of 
Wanni.
Independent confirmation of events is not possible as 
journalists are not allowed free access in the war 
zone.
Tiger guerillas have been fighting for a separate 
homeland for the minority Tamil community in Sri 
Lanka's North and East since 1983. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
TEXT: NEB/WTW/ 
09-Nov-1999 05:30 AM EDT (09-Nov-1999 1030 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.