DATE=12/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA FIGHTING (S-L COMBO)
NUMBER=2-257084
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels are claiming
to have captured three strategic government military
camps in the northern part of the country. Sri
Lanka's Defense Ministry denies the claim saying the
bases remain under government control. V-O-A's Jim
Teeple reports the fighting comes just one week before
Sri Lankans go to the polls to vote in a presidential
election.
Text: A broadcast from the rebel Voice of Tiger radio
station -- monitored in the northern garrison town,
Vavuniya -- says Tiger forces have overrun three camps
which form the perimeter defenses of the strategic
Elephant Pass military complex. The complex is a
large garrison, which provides the main military
defense for Jaffna city -- a former rebel stronghold,
which was captured by Sri Lanka's military in 1996.
A Sri Lanka military spokesman says there has been
fighting around the camps but they remain under
government control. There is no independent
confirmation of either rebel or government claims.
The area, which is about 210 kilometers north of Sri
Lanka's capital, Colombo, is off-limits to
journalists. Heavy fighting erupted more than one
month ago after Tamil Tiger rebels started a major
offensive in advance of presidential elections,
scheduled for December 21st -- overrunning several
military camps and capturing more than 100 villages.
// REST OPTIONAL FOR LONG//
The rebels have been fighting a guerrilla war for an
independent homeland for Tamils for 16 years -- saying
Sri Lanka's Tamil minority faces discrimination from
the majority Sinhalese. More than 50 thousand people
have died in the fighting. If the rebels capture the
strategic Elephant Pass base they will control high
ground which defends the city of Jaffna.
The fighting has hurt the reelection chances of Sri
Lanka's President Candrika Kumaratunga, the leader of
the governing People's Alliance Party. President
Kumaratunga is locked in a tight race with former
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who heads the
United National Party. Mr. Wickremesinghe says he
will reopen a dialogue with the rebels and accept
third party mediation to the conflict if he wins next
week's election. (Signed)
neb/jlt /WD
13-Dec-1999 04:23 AM EDT (13-Dec-1999 0923 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
