News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 1999, 11:53 GMT]
Government officials in Jaffna urge ICRC to resume ferry service; Booby trap maims displaced refugee; Liberation Tigers say four members and a supporter were killed in clashes with the Sri Lankan Army in the Vanni.

ICRC to negotiate ferry service resumption

The head of the ICRC mission in Sri Lanka, Max Hadorn, told government officials in Jaffna that the ICRC would initiate negotiations with the Government and the Liberation Tigers in order to resume the ferry service between Kankesanthurai and Trincomalee.

He was replying to a request made by local officials at a meeting held at the Government Agent's office yesterday to discuss the various relief projects implemented by the ICRC in the peninsula.

Jaffna officials told the head of the ICRC mission about the various inconveniences that people faced as a result of the cancellation of the service.

Officials pointed out that Jaffna University students who went home for the vacation are now stranded in Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomalee unable to get back to their lectures at the university.

---

Booby trap maims displaced refugee

Selvarajah Nadesu, a displaced refugee from Inuvil east in the Jaffna peninsula, lost his left leg when a booby trap exploded at Maruthanamadam yesterday.

The incident occurred while he was clearing a piece of land, said sources in Jaffna.

Hospital sources said that his damaged left leg has been amputated below the knee.

---

Five LTTE casualties in Vanni

The Liberation Tigers announced from the Vanni that four members and a supporter were killed in clashes with the Sri Lankan Army on Tuesday, February 9.

They are:

Lt. Parthipan (Kanagasabai Pratheepan of Ampara)
2nd Lt. Seran (Thiyagarajah Suthaharan of Ampara)
2nd Lt.Rasasuthan (Velupillai Suthaharan of Ampara)
2nd Lt.Kandeepan (Muthiah Ilangeswaran of Ampara)
LTTE Supporter Sinnathamby Balan of Trincomalee.

Meanwhile sources in the Vanni said that over the past few days the Sri Lankan Army had carried out heavy mortar attacks from its position in the Mankulam area towards the LTTE controlled areas.