Toll Reportedly Rises to 75 in Fighting Between Separatist Rivals in Sri Lanka

At least 75 people died in weekend battles between rival Tamil separatist factions that erupted when the largest group attempted to suppress a smaller one, state radio said Monday.

It did not provide a breakdown of casualties in the fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and a smaller organization, the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front, in the northern and eastern sections of this island nation off the tip of India.

Residents said the death toll was at least 45 to 55, with most of the victims Liberation Front members. The fighting erupted Saturday when the Liberation Tigers surrounded northern camps of their rivals and asked them to surrender.

These reports said that while the Liberation Tigers had overrun their rivals in the north, they were still hunting members of the Liberation Front in the Eastern province, where the latter is stronger.

Talks Due Wednesday

The fighting came on the eve of talks between India and Sri Lanka on the ethnic conflict between the minority Tamils and majority Sinhalese that has killed more than 4,500 people during the three-year Tamil rebellion for an independent homeland.

Two high Indian officials are to meet Sri Lankan President Junius R. Jayewardene on Wednesday to discuss a government plan to set up semi-autonomous provincial councils in areas where Tamils are a majority.

While the Liberation Tigers have rejected the plan, standing firm on their demand for a separate state, other rebel groups have expressed a desire to negotiate and reach a compromise with the Sri Lankan government.