Access to TAMIL INFORMATION Information is a Fundamental Bight NEWS BULLETIN OF THE TAMIL INFORMATION CENTRE NOV- DEC 1993 Nos. 28 & 29 LTTE DESTROY POONERYN ARMY CAMP The Liberation Tigers of Tamil persons had died earlier for lack of army unit only on 13 November. Eelam (LTTE) launched Operation medical treatment and two died of Thavalai, a massive assault on the shock during the Tiger operation. Both sides have suffered heavy Pooneryn army camp and the losses. At least 1,000 soldiers and Nagathevanthurai naval base in At dawn, military helicopters and navy personnel are either dead or Kilinochchi District on 11 bombers began attacking the missing. The government has not November.The two military bases Tigers. In Tiger counter- attacks a been able to draw up a complete list lie only a few miles apart, west of helicopter was damaged. of the dead, which has left parents Elephant Pass. in a state of shock and uncertainty. Amidst bombing the Tigers used Another 435 soldiers were injured. Sea Tigers landed near boats captured at the naval base to TheLTTEhasannouncedthat411 Nagathevanthurai naval base at 2.20 ferry arms and the injured across of their cadre were killed. am in two rowing boats across the the lagoon to the Jaffna peninsula. Kilali lagoon and began attacking Early morning the Tigers There were 292 army trainees in the military’s forward defence lines. announced over loudspeakers the Pooneryn camp at the time of Search lights in the base were urging soldiers who fled into the LTTE attack and according to smashed by gunfire. Another unit of coconut groves and paddy fields to reports all were killed. Observers 150 Sea Tigers landed in motor surrender. Another LTTE unit say the trainees had been sent to boats and entered the base. They began attacking regrouped soldiers Pooneryn to prevent them deserting targeted the communications under Colonel Ranjan Silva, who the army after completion of their building and damaged the radar and pleaded over the radio for training. communication equipment cutting reinforcements. The LTTE came off links with other camps. Many under heavy attack by the air force In Operation Thavalai Tigers sailors were killed in the unexpected and many Tigers were killed. captured Rs. 300 million ($6 attack and the others retreated east million) worth of arms and towards the Elephant Pass army According to reports, some of the equipment, including two Main camp. high ranking military officers had Battle Tanks, five 120 mm artillery decided not to send reinforcements guns and five naval boats. At about the same time two Tiger to save the soldiers trapped west of units from the direction of Mannar Pooneryn. Colombo newspapers Although the military expected an in the south and Paranthan in the say Prime Minister Ranil attack in view of Maveerar Varam east , breached the defence lines and Wickremasinghe intervened and (Great Heros Week) observed by entered the Pooneryn army camp. ensured that a rescue operation was the Tigers annually to The communications room and launched. Meanwhile the Tigers commemorate the dead in the war, other buildings in the camp were also attempted, as a diversionary such a ferocious offensive had not damaged by Tiger shelling. In an measure to infiltrate Palaly and been anticipated, particularly within hour of fighting many soldiers were Kankesanthurai army camps in the weeks after the Yal Devi operation killed. Col. Ranjan Silva assembled north of the Jaffna peninsula. by the army in September to the remaining 500 soldiers and capture Killali and two days before retreated west towards Sangupiddy. On 12 November army attempts the Hindu Deepavali festival. In the Thereafter the Tigers began to land on the sand banks, east of last three months the army had been removing the bodies and the Mandaitivu was thwarted by a interviewing Jaffna people arriving captured arms. The Tigers found 36 LTTE unit from Ariyalai which in Vavuniya, to gather information Tamil prisoners locked in-one room. landed on the Kalmunai Point on preparation for a major They had been arrested during army promontory west of Pooneryn. The offensive. Yal Devi was launched to operation Valampuri in October army was only able to land at discourage the Tigers from 199 1 and detained in squalid Kalmunai following LTTE undertaking any attacks and another conditions. Most of them were old withdrawal from Pooneryn. The najor military offensive on the men, women and children. Three rescue forces reached the besieged Jaffna peninsula was being planned Tamil Information Nos. 28 & 29 Nov-Dec 1993 1 for 1994. The pre-emptive strike by including ten people in one family and arms would force the the Tigers has thrown the military at Navanthurai. The genocidal government to sue for peace. But into disarray. attack came between 8.30 and hues and cries for a political 9.OOam while thousands of people solution seem to have fallen on deaf Retaliatory military attacks on were on the streets shopping and ears. The Defence Ministry has Jaffna peninsula began immediately. those killed included women and begun negotiations for immediate The Jaffna Government Agent’s children. Seventy one other purchase of arms. Reports say Rs. office was bombed on 13 November civilians were wounded. 2,000 million ($40 million) worth injuring 25 persons. Government of arms will arrive in Colombo in Agent K.Manickavasagar himself The capture of tanks and five the beginning of January 1994. was injured. On the same day St. mile range artillery guns by the Continuous bombing raids have James Church in Gurunagar was LTTE would give them an added been ordered, some reports say, by bombed killing nine civilians who advantage. The government seems President Wijetunge himself, on were praying inside. Over 50 people to have other unexpected problems Jaffna. According to the army the were injured, seven of whom died in too. Most of the Chinese supersonic intention of bombing and shelling hospital. A woman lost her leg when and other bombers had been at of Jaffna is to prevent the LTTE a children school in Kondavil was Katunayake airport from where from launching other Pooneryn-type attacked by the air force. Damage they took off for bombing raids on attacks. But the pattern of bombing by bombs to the market and shops the North- East. But international and shelling show that these are belonging to the Town Council in aviation agencies have protested nothing but revenge attacks on the Chavakachcheri is estimated at Rs. against using a civilian airport for Tamil population. The bombing 5. million ($100,000). Shelling from military planes and have warned Sri continues despite appeals from the Palaly and Mandaitivu military Lanka that air services would be Jaffna Catholic Bishop Thomas camps has caused extensive damage suspended if the bombers were not Savundaranayagam and the in many areas. Argentinean Puckara removed. The government fears the assurance given by Prime Minister planes bombed Gurunagar, Tigers may now target airports in Ranil Wickremasinghe to the Jaffna Sinnakadai and Pashaiyur and other the NorthEast using the captured Government Agent. areas in and around Jaffna town on 120 mm guns. Some observers 5 December killing 26 civilians believe that the massive loss of life RESETTLEMENT WITHOUT BASIC NEEDS Veeramunai village in Amparai educational needs of the 720 biggest hurdle for the villagers. District is an eye opener as far as students on roll. This school lacks a Even a sub-post office has not been resettlement programmes for library, playground and prayer hall not provided. The nearest postal Tamils are concerned Two among others. The other school now facility is three miles away. thousand five hundred and seventy houses the local police station. six persons from 580 families were The lack of basic facilities at resettled on 28.03.92 in this village The medical needs of the villagers Veeramunai even after a year from with the closest town being are catered to by the mobile hospital the initial resettlement is all the Akkaraipatru. This village was service which is available three days more important in so far as this vacated on 12.08.90 when violence in a week. The mobile service has was the first village to be resettled flared up in the area which resulted proved to bc totally inadequate to by inmates from a refugee camp in in 50 women being widowed. The the impoverished villagers. the east. The lack of facilities here fleeing villagers could not carry any prevailing for over a year is bound of their possessions with them and Roads in the village are in to have an adverse impact on all sought refuge in Karaitivu and disrepair due to.the long period of resettlement schemes and therefore Thirukkovil where they remained in neglect. There is no bus service due needs to be attended to without refugee camps until their to the state of the roads. Street further delay. resettlement. lighting is the only supply of electricity to the village. Only one of the two former schools is now functioning to meet the Communication is perhaps the 2 Nov-Dec 1993 Tamil Information Nos.28 & 29 TIC ACCESSION LIST A selection of documents received by TIC in November / December 1993 PC 4655 SHR 3281 SHR 3266 1,000 killed in raid by Tigers Briefing: Colombo after Premadasa: Structural adjustment in Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka: The Sunday Times; 2 l- the position of Sri Lankan Tamils in a grassroots perspective by Charles 1 l-93 sourthern and Central areas of the Abeysekera and others 1p. island Geneva; ICVA, August 1993. DESCRIPTORS: Attack on army London: British Refugee Council; 18p. camp / LTTE / Statement / Sri Decenber 1993 DESCRIPTORS: Economy / Sri Lankan Government / Statistics / 4p.