DATE=6/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA FIGHTING-CEASEFIRE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-263339
BYLINE=STEVEN BARTHOLOMEUSZ
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels say they have
asked international humanitarian agencies to help
arrange a temporary cease-fire to allow civilians to
leave the combat zone in northern Sri Lanka. The
government of Sri Lanka has yet to respond to the
rebel statement. Meanwhile fresh fighting on Friday
in northern Sri Lanka has killed 25 government troops
and injured 50 others. Steven Bartholomeusz reports
for VOA from the capital Colombo.
TEXT: The rebels say many civilians are trapped in
the combat areas of the northern Jaffna Peninsula. The
International Red Cross said today (Saturday) they had
received the ceasefire request but did not say if they
could broker a stop to the fighting.
Concerning the Sri Lankan Army offensive, a government
statement says the military has inflicted heavy
casualties on the rebels, after troops launched the
offensive near Sarasalai, east of Jaffna early Friday.
A military official says, the rebels were forced to
retreat in fighting near the town of Kodikamam, 25
kilometers east of Jaffna. However the rebels say
they repulsed the government forces. Battle claims
are impossible to verify because journalists are not
allowed in the battle areas.
The Sri Lankan government said last week it had
stalled a massive rebel offensive to recapture the key
northern town of Jaffna, a rebel stronghold lost to
the government in 1996.
The latest fighting follows a suspected Tamil Tiger
suicide bomb attack in the Colombo suburb of Ratmalana
on Wednesday, which killed a senior minister and at
least 22 others.
The state funeral of Minister of Industries,
C.V.Gooneratne and his wife, who died on Thursday of
injuries sustained in the blast, is taking place
Saturday. The funeral follows a day and night of
public viewing of the bodies, that saw large numbers
of Sri Lankans queueing to pay their respects to the
minister and his wife.
The Sri Lankan military and the rebels, demanding a
separate state for the country's minority Tamils, have
been fighting since 1983. The government says more
than 60-thousand people have been killed in the
fighting. The rebels claim the death toll is higher.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SB/PLM
10-Jun-2000 05:06 AM EDT (10-Jun-2000 0906 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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