COLOMBO, Jan, 31, Reuter: Residents’ representatives urged Sri Lanka’s President Junius Jayewardene to hold an inquiry into a military operation which they say killed more than 200 civilians as the government repeated denials that more than four civilians died.
Food supplies and medical teams were rushed today to the jungle area in Easter Sri Lanka where police commandos and Tamil guerrillas clashed, a spokesman for the Batticaloa district Citizens’ Committee said.
He told Reuters by telephone that survivors reported more than 200 civilians were killed by commandos during yesterday’s raid on the biggest rebel camp in the area, at Kokkadicholai.
He said the Committee sent a telegram to Jayewardene yesterday urging him to hold an inquiry into the killing of civilians.
“We are shocked and outraged that this type of military operation should commence especially in view of talks of a settlement to the ethnic crises, the telegram said.
‘The government said the operation ended on Thursday with security forces capturing the main base of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and killing 23 rebels.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 6, 1987
