Alarm follows warning

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army launched a search operation on Sunday from 5.30 a.m. to 12 noon, in the villages north of Manipay and south of Sandilippay in the Jaffna peninsula. Villagers were summoned to local libraries in Seerani, Kaddudai, Sanguveli, before their houses were searched, said sources.

The Army, however, allowed one member of each household to stay in the houses during the search operation.

It is not known whether any arrests were made in the operation.

Meanwhile residents of Vadamaradchi have been alarmed by the announcement made by the new SLA Commander of that sector, Brig. Sanath Karunaratne.

The commander has said that the army will carry out regular house-to-house searches during the night, said sources.

Residents had earlier told the Brigadier that the searches were causing them extreme hardships.

However, the Brigadier had told them that these search operations are being conducted for their own security and asked them to co-operate with the Army.

Anxious parents, afraid of harassment by the security forces, are trying to send grown up daughters out of the region, said sources in Vadamaradchi.