Commandos smash shrines

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 August 1999, 13:07 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) commandos cordoned off the Tamil village of Karaithivu, about 20 km. east of Ampara this morning and conducted a house to house search operation from 6 a.m. said residents.

The commandos assaulted several youths and smashed shrines in several houses during the search operation which lasted for nearly two hours they said.

Sources said about 50 persons were arrested by the troopers. They were interrogated at the STF camp and released later.

A STF officer told villagers that they should provide information about those people who are supporting the Tigers and that they should not allow outsiders to stay there.

"Those who provide us information about the Tigers will be rewarded just as the EPDP and EPRLF informers in Karaithivu are," the STF officer told villagers.