DATE=5/13/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA SECURITY
NUMBER=2-262317
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Sri Lankan government has denied Tamil
Tiger rebel claims that they are close to retaking
their formal stronghold, Jaffna City. Vandana Chopra
has more from Colombo.
TEXT: Sri Lankan Military officials say government
security forces have dealt a double blow to Tamil
rebels near Jaffna by cutting off their main supply
route and destroying their main communications tower.
The government statement says, with the destruction of
the tower, Tamil rebels were facing numerous problems
in providing reinforcements, supplies and effective
communication.
The Tamil rebels have said they are consolidating
their forces on recently captured land outside Jaffna
before they attempt an assault on the city. They
claim thousands of civilians are fleeing Jaffna. But
the Sri Lankan state media says its forces have
increased security in Jaffna and have inflicted heavy
casualties on the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The director of information says despite heavy
fighting, life in Jaffna goes on as usual and
residents are not showing any signs of panic.
However international aid officials have expressed
growing concern for the safety of the approximately
five-hundred thousand civilians on the Jaffna
peninsula near the fighting.
There was little first hand information from the
northern Jaffna region as the government has imposed
censorship on foreign media and does not allow
journalists in the war-torn areas.
Meanwhile, five persons have been detained by the
government for spreading rumors which were seen
directly or indirectly supporting the Tiger
guerrillas.
A government statement says any person found spreading
rumors was liable for punishment and would be detained
for three months pending investigations.
The Tamil rebels have been threatening Jaffna for
several weeks but Sri Lankan President Chandrika
Kumaratunga has vowed never to give up the city.
The government took control of Jaffna, the cultural
capital of the Tamil rebels, in 1995.
The Tamil Tiger rebels are fighting for autonomy for
the minority Tamil community in
Sri Lanka's north and east. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
TEXT:
NEB/WTW/
13-May-2000 05:41 AM EDT (13-May-2000 0941 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
