New amnesty for deserters - SLA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 December 1998, 15:12 GMT]
Twenty six soldiers were wounded in limited operations conducted by the Sri Lankan Army in Kudarappu and Kaithady in Jaffna and in the Paranthan during the last 48 hours said military spokesman Brig.Sunil Tennekoon, addressing journalists at the cabinet press briefing today. He said that 21 Tigers were killed in Paranthan and 6 Tigers in Jaffna in these operations.

The army also carried out two limited operations in the Vannivilankulam area in the Mankulam sector during the same period, killing 4 Tigers and recovering one T-56 rifle, 11 anti-personnel land mines (APLMs) and "some military hardware" the brigadier added.

Government troops ,according to him, had attacked a group of Tigers travelling in a tractor at Ambakamam, northwest of Mankulam.

The military spokesman said that the SL Navy had intercepted and destroyed a boat three nautical miles off the island of Delft (Nedunthivu), killing 15 Tigers on board. He did not specify the date of the incident.

The spokesman said that the Tigers had attacked an SLA checkpoint at Uyilankulam in the Mannar district on December 15 and that a member of the Liberation Tigers was killed when troops retaliated. A 9 mm pistol and a cyanide capsule were recovered from him he said.

Journalists asked him whether he had anything to say about the LTTE's short-wave broadcast. The Brigadier replied that he was not aware of the matter.

He was also asked why Operation Jayasikurui was called off. The same goal can be achieved in different ways he said in response.

Media Minister Mr.Mangala Samaraweera interjected at this point to say that the government's war strategy will change from time to time.

The Military spokesman said that another general amnesty has been granted to SLA deserters following pleas by the parents of the absconding soldiers and others.

The amnesty will hold for forty eight hours from 9 a.m. next Saturday to Sunday midnight.

The Media Minister Mr. Mangala Samaraweera said that every election (to the provinces, the Parliament and the Presidency) will be held in the next eighteen months.