COLOMBO. Sept 8: When she took office last year. President Chandrika Kumara-11111110 promised to spare Srl Lanka's journalists the attacks they had faced under her predecessor, reports AP.

Before he was assassinated in 1993, President Rana-slnghe Premadasa often had police raid newspapers whose copy he didn't like and city officials turn off their water and power supplies.

But police raids also have taken place under Mrs Kumaratunga, who has accused the press of misusing Its freedom and said she won't allow It lo behave like "a wild ass."

From Monday through Thursday, police raided the offices of a tabloid newspaper that had written an article that Included editorial com ment. Il urged the nation s police chief to resign after his elite commando unit was accused of strangling 21 Tamil civilians and dumping

the bodies in lakes near Colombo.

Police chief Wickrema-singhe Rajaguru complained I hat he had been criminally defamed. Under his orders, detectives questioned reporters at the Sun weekly newspaper all four days.

"The police tried Jo seize a journalist from the office by force when he refused to answer questions." but editors intervened and protected him. the tabloid said in a statement. "Journalists and visitors In the office were ha raseed.'

Last week. Rajaguru had said thal his Special Task Force was under investigation for murdering the 21 Tamil civilians. More than a dozen policemen and soldiers have Iwen arrested.

Police have detained thou smids of Tamil civilians in Colombo. since the 12year battle for Independence by Tamil separallsis resumed April 19 after a ceasefire