PLOTE attempts to clear town

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 September 1998, 19:49 GMT]
PLOTE is making a fresh attempt to forcibly evacuate civilians from Rambaikkulam, a suburb of Vavuniya town said sources today. Some people may have already moved out they said.

An earlier attempt by the group to clear the area of all civilians was stalled due to the intervention of the Vavuniya GA and other concerned parties.

Meanhwile a youth who was saved from the PLOTE yesterday by a Catholic priest in the same Rambaikkulam village has been identified as Pararajasingham Kuhathaas of no.117 Skandapuram, Kilinochchi.

He, according to Vavuniya Police sources, belongs to a displaced family that now lives in one of the transit camps in the town.

He had joined the PLOTE in January this year but had left the group after a few months and had gone back to live in the camp. The PLOTE had abducted him on June 13 and his whereabouts were unknown since then said one of his aquaintances. He remains in Police custody.