CLOMBO, Reuter: Renewed separatist violence in which ten people were killed has threatened peace talks between Sri Lankan government and the moderate Tamils,

A government statement said that the Tamil guerrillas fired mortar bombs at the main military camp in Jaffna, Northern Province, wounding two soldiers. Troops retaliated and killed four of the attackers.

Residents told Reuters that three civilians were killed in cross-fire; eighteen were being treated for wounds.

The government also said two tables were killed during the clashes between rival guerrilla groups at Vavuniya, Northern Province.

A village official was shot dead by rebels while cycling to Trincomalee town on the east coast.

Appapillai Amirth a lingam, Secretary-General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) told Reuters that he was worried by the fighting and hoped to discuss the matter with President Junius Jayewardene.

The TULF and the government are considering a plan for provincial councils which would give powers to Tamils to administer areas where they are a majority. A compromise on their demands for an independent state in the north and east.

 Jayewardene warned the rebels that war was the only alternative “If war is declared every able bodied person must go to the battle front”, he said at a public meeting, “myself would go to the front”. The Indian government, last week, urged the rebels and Sri Lanka to reduce military activity which would impede the peace process.

But a Jaffna journalist described yesterday’s fighting there as the worst in the strife-tom town in recent weeks, “Helicopters were hovering around and one shell fell near our office scaring the wits out of many workers,” he said.

He said that the power supply was disrupted and they went home early without printing the morning newspaper.

An opposition leader escaped a bomb attack at a public meeting outside Colombo.

Police said Vijaya Kumaranatunga, Secretary of the Peoples Party, stepped up to the microphone to address the gathering when a bomb was flung at the stage, it wounded four people but Kumaranatunga, who jumped off the stage, was unhurt.

It was the second attack on Kumaranatunga, whose party supports the government’s efforts to end ethnic unrest, Last month; exploded bombs were placed outside his house and the home of another leftist opposition. Leader who is also backing the peace plan.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 29, 1986