News In Brief

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A Tiger attack in Jaffna forced the Sri Lankan army to use artillery and the a Muslim leader calls for unity between the Tamils and Muslims against Sinhala chauvinism.

Another Tiger attack in Jaffna

A battle between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army was reported in Madduvil (Thenmaradchi) this Sunday Oct 5.

Fighting went on for two hours in the Tharaiveli area. Heavy firing and shelling was also reported.

The fighting erupted following an attack by the Liberation Tigers on the Sri Lankan army position at the Madduvil Sivan Kovil on the Madduvil-Kaithady road.

Ex-Tamil militant sources in Jaffna attributed the recent escalation of small scale Liberation Tiger attacks to the killing of Kannan. The Sri Lankan army claimed last week that it had killed the LTTE's commander for Jaffna peninsula called Kannan.

In the wake of these developments, the Sri Lankan army pulled out one of its key road barricades in the Valigamam sector. The road leading from Chunnakam junction to Kantharodai was long cut off by a Sri Lankan army position that straddled it.

All traffic from Chunnakam, Kantharodai and to Alavetty had to take a detour through Uduvil as a consequence.

Some Chunnakam residents speculated that the pull out might be connected to sending additional troops to the Vanni to join the Jaya Sikurui Operation.

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SLMC wants strong links with Tamils

"It may not be prudent on the part of Muslims to resettle in Jaffna until the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers come to a settlement" said Mr.Maruthoor Kani, senior deputy leader of the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress.

He was speaking at a conference on problems faced by displaced people at the Puttalam district secretariat.

"It may be true that the government has taken Jaffna but the reality is that it is surrounded by a fence of weapons. Sinhala Chauvinism has raised its head. The political solution is hanging in the balance. If there is to be just solution, a strong relationship should develop between the Tamil speaking Muslims and the Tamil people" he said.