71.   Significantly, there has been no expression of condolences from minority Tamil parties.

72.   Tamil parties have urged the government to solve the slayings to ease fears among the Tamil community.

73.   The government action followed complaints from minority Tamil parties that there were large scale arrests of Tamils following the latest wave of fighting.

74.   The LTTE, which is fighting for a separate state in the northeast for the Tamil community, has been accused of eliminating leaders of all rival Tamil parties.