Tamil Tigers Press Release 11.01.1996

Following press release is sent for distribution through TamilNet, by the LTTE international secretariat, 211 Katherine Road, London E6 1BU, United Kingdom, Tel/fax: 0181-470 8593.

LTTE Headquarters,
Tamil Eelam
11.january 1996

Sri Lankan government refuses to provide relief to refugees in Kilinochi, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Vadamaratchi and Thenmaratchi areas in the North Yesterday the Director of planning a Sri Lankan Government official attached to the Kilinochi district Secretariat expressed concern that the Sri Lankan Government is delaying to release the funds that his department urgently sought for the supply of dry ration to the refugees now living in these areas.

During the same week, another Sri Lankan government official Dr Sivaguru the Director of Health at Vanni, stated that the Sri Lankan government has rejected his request for the supply Malathion Insecticide that was desperately needed to control the wide spread occurrence of Malaria disease in the areas of Kilinochi and Mullaithivu. Dr Sivaguru has put in an urgent request for the supply of 24,000 Kilogram of Malathion.

There are now about 500,000 refugees who are now living in Vanni which is under the control of the LTTE. These refugees fled from Valigamam(Jaffna) to escape from the recent Sri Lankan military offensive that was launched to capture Jaffna. The presence of these refugees in LTTE controlled areas is an embarrassment for the Sri Lankan government as it demonstrates that the Tamil people have willingly accepted the LTTE as their leadership while rejecting Sri Lankan government rule. As a result an angere d Sri Lankan Government is now engaged in a programme of penalising these refugees. The government has literally blocked all relief work for these refugees. The Government has also blocked the supply of medicine and disease preventative projects in these areas. Liquid cash is also denied for the Banks in Vanni and non government controlled areas of Jaffna. Overall the Sri Lankan government has also imposed an Economic embargo on the Tamil people living in the North.

Further the Sri Lankan government is also vehemently pursuing a policy of imposing a military solution to the just demand for the right of self determination of the Tamil people living in the Island.

Political Committee,
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

(English translation of the LTTE statement released by LTTE International Secretariat, 211 Katherine Road, London E6 1BU, United Kingdom. Tel/ Fax: 0181-470 8593)