Massive search operation in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than 1500 soldiers from the SLA camps which dot the strategic Valaichenai junction, 30 k.m north of Batticaloa, launched a massive search operation in five Tamil villages in the area.

TamilNet correspondent in Valaichenai said that the operation was still going on at 3.00 p.m Sri Lanka time (9.00 hours GMT).

More than 150 persons were arrested during the operation and have been taken to the Valaichenai fisheries harbour camp.

The army moved into Kannakipuram, Kannan kiramam,Kalmadu, Vinayagapuram and Peythalai around 6 a.m. this morning and herded people from their homes to four designated areas for screening and search.

The civilians were put to great discomfort as they had been virtually forced from their beds and were told to squat still in the designated areas until 2 p.m. this afternoon. Children were crying for milk and to answer calls of nature, said sources.

There are about ten Sri Lankan army camps in and around the Valaichenai junction, highlighting the importance of the Main Supply Route (MSR) to the Sri Lankan garrison in Batticaloa town.