News In Brief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 1999, 22:23 GMT]
A civilian was killed and a SLA soldier was wounded in clashes, a Vavuniya youth goes missing, a bulldozer is blasted and cash shortage hits Vanni health officials.

SLA trooper wounded

One soldier was seriously wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) convoy at Sinnaoorani 3 km, north of Batticaloa, today around 9.15 p.m.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Police at Veechchukkalmunai sentry point fired towards the Batticaloa lagoon around 8.50 p.m. today

The Sri Lanka Army and Navy have also increased night patrol in the lagoon sources said.

SLA sources said they believe members of the LTTE are infiltrating the town during the nights.

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Bulldozer destroyed

A bulldozer belonging to the Road Development Authority which was parked near the house of a civilian at Murunkan about 15 miles south east of Mannar island along the Vavuniya trunk road was completely destroyed in an explosion which took place around 1.30 a.m. today, said sources.

The heavy vehicle, worth of a few million rupees, was used in repair work along the main road, the sources added.

The incident took place in an area heavily guarded by military trained Police commandos. Police blamed the LTTE for the attack.

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One civilian killed

Parasivam Sivayohan,24, who owns a shop at Koduvamadu, abouth 20 km. southwest of Batticaloa, was killed in a fire-fight which erupted between the Liberation Tigers and PLOTE cadres this afternoon around 12.45 p.m.

The PLOTE, which has sentry points at Karuththa Paalam ('Black Bridge') alongside the Sri Lanka Army, attempted to moved towards LTTE held areas and in Sivayohan, who comes from an LTTE controlled area, was killed in the PLOTE's covering fire.

Two other civilians, S.Thanushan,12, and K.Shankar,19, were wounded in the incident.

Later the PLOTE withdrew to its position when the LTTE fired back.

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Vavuniya youth goes missing

Selvachandran Satheeskumar, a displaced youth from Sivapuram Kilinochchi district who had sought refuge at Pandaarikulam an outskirt village of Vavuniya town, has been reported 'missing' since August 11, sources in Vavuniya said.

His mother S.Selvamary had said that her son had set off to the hospital bringing a meal for her while she was admitted in Ward No.8 in Vavuniya hospital, and has not been since.

Although the mother had approached the Police, SLA and the Tamil militant groups in Vavuniya, they have said that they did not know whereabouts of her son, sources added.

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Cash shortage in Vanni

Authorities at the Department of Health said that the offiicials in the areas held by the LTTE are finding very difficult to cash their salary cheques. Earlier, the SLA had refused to let them take their salary in cash.

Sources said that the officials of the Department of Health are experiencing difficulties in cashing their salary cheques due to the shortage of liquid cash in the Vanni, stemming from the problems of access to the area over the past two months.