Jaffna Tamil groups asked to help army

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 1999, 17:25 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) today announced plans to provide protection for the Tamil paramilitaries and other groups operating in the Jaffna peninsula.

At a meeting held at the headquarters of the 51-2 brigade this morning, Brig. D.S.Jeyathilake asked representatives of the groups to each submit a list of 10 people who would then recieve military training from the SLA, payment, food and uniforms.

The nominees of the Tamil groups would then become a special group operating with the SLA in Jaffna, providing protection for the Tamil groups .

The Brigadier also warned leaders of the groups that fights should not break out between their members as occurred in Vavuniya.

The meeting was attended by Logan and Sri of the EPDP, Ganga and Mohan of the EPRLF, Chandrasekaram of the TELO, Kirubairajah and Appan of the PLOTE, Sivan Sivakumaran and Mauruk (independent) and Kandiah of the TULF.

The TULF representative pointed out that when no one was willing to work as a security guard at the party's office it would not be possible for them find ten persons for the special unit.