News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 1999, 19:28 GMT]
Jaffna lawyers to appear in criminal cases; Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers killed in confrontation and Forty-four arrests in Colombo.

Jaffna lawyers to appear in criminal cases

The members of the Jaffna Bar Association decided yesterday to appear in criminal and other important cases that affect the daily life of the public, sources said.

The decision was taken during a discussion with the Additional Magistrate for Jaffna, Mr.S.A.Eakanaathan, the sources added.

The courts in Jaffna stopped functioning after receiving letters said to be from the LTTE political leader in the peninsula, Thooyavan.

The magistrates have been hearing cases in chambers since then.

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Four soldiers killed in confrontation

Four SLA soldiers were killed in a confrontation with the LTTE early this morning in Galkande, in the Polannaruwa district, said sources.

The fighting lasted for more than two hours.

SLA sources said that they had been able to inflict serious damage on the LTTE.

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Forty four arrests in Colombo

About 44 young men were arrested in Colombo after the SLA and Police conducted combined search operations in the general area of Pettah, in the heart of Colombo, over the past two days.

The search operations were conducted in private houses, hotels and lodging houses where a large number of young people from the Northeast find accommodation.

The relatives and parents of the arrested men and women have complained to the Presidential Committee on Arrest and Harassment.