Jaffna SLA digs in

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army instructed the farmers in the Thenmaradchi area in the Jaffna peninsula not to stack paddy or hay from their farms by sides of the road. This warning was meant especially for the farms adjacent to the roads.

However, the farmers whose fields are away from the road too were asked by the SLA to store their harvest as well as stacks of hay behind their homes.

The SLA is taking this measure, fearing that arms could be concealed by the Liberation Tigers in the hay stacks or paddy heaps or to be used as cover to fire at passing SLA convoys.

Meanwhile, the SLA is constructing permanent concrete bunkers where they previousley had temporary bunkers, said sources in Jaffna.

Bunkers made of sand bags and oil barrels filled with sand at important points at the Jaffna town such as Chundikuli junction, St. Johns and Vembadi sentries are giving way to more permanent structures.

It is believed that SLA has taken this move following a major attack by the LTTE at the end of last month.

Meanwhile, a multi millioner businessman who owns a jewellery shop in the eastern town of Trincomalee was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The state owned Television Rupavahini said that the CID had blamed the businessman for helping in the purchase of the lorry which is said to have been used in the bomb blast at Dalada Maligawa on January 31.