CLOMBO, Reuter: At least six people were killed and more than 50 houses set ablaze in fresh ethnic violence in Sri Lanka’s northern and eastern areas, officials and residents said today.

The violence erupted as the ruling United National Party pledged full support to the government’s proposals to end the conflict in which more than 4,000 people have been killed in the past three years.

A military spokesman said Tamil guerrillas pounded the main military base in the northern city of Jaffna with mortars and troops hit back with mortar fire, Residents said five civilians were killed.

One person was killed and houses burned in clashes between Tamils and Muslims in Kalmunai Sri Lanka’s east coast Batticaloa district, residents said.

They said the trouble started when guerrillas, fighting to set up an independent state for Tamils, killed a Muslim youth and tied his body to a lamp post accusing him of being a police informant.

Muslims retaliated by assaulting two Tamils and setting fire to 50 Tamil houses in the predominantly Muslim town, residents said Guerrillas then burned two houses belonging to Muslims.

Tops patrolled the streets of Kalamunai today as most offices, shops and schools were shut and people remained indoors fearing a fresh eruption of violence.

A curfew last night was expected to be reposed today, officials said.

Kalmunai falls within the region where Tamils want their own state; apart from the Sinhalese dominated government in Colombo.

The 2,000-member executive committee of the ruling party yesterday supported President Junius Jayewardene’s plans to end the ethnic crisis.

The plan envisages devolving power to elected councils to be set up in the nine provinces.

The party pledged its support after Jayewardene said, “If the country wants peace these proposals must be supported. Otherwise it must be war.

Jayewardene said he would continue talks with leaders of the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) expected to arrive in Colombo on Thursday from Madras, South India. He said he was also prepared to hold discussions with the guerrillas through negotiators,

The plan is opposed by the main opposition party led by former Prime Minister Sirima Bandranaike as well as by some of the Tamil guerrilla groups.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 15, 1986