Perhaps the locals have eaten something tainted - either a poisonous plant, relief deliveries that have gone bad or even monkey meat, which is sometimes a part of the diet.

Though General Briquemont called his reasons personal, he had criticized the United Nations just days before for failing to back up its resolutions with troops and action to insure relief deliveries.

On-again, off-again Serbian and Croatian blockades have limited relief deliveries to the Tuzla region to less than 20 percent of planned amounts, United Nations officials here said.

But most military officials here believe that a more assertive presence is necessary to guarantee that supply routes remain open for relief deliveries and that Somalia's warring factions remain open to a political settlement.

Meanwhile, Western relief deliveries to the Bosnian capital resumed with 17 flights, including several by United States transports flying from the Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany.

A major problem in expanding the relief deliveries is the delay in sending United Nations troops to protect the shipments.

A8 The U.N. said fighting in Bosnia was hindering relief deliveries.

Tonight, India's high commissioner in Colombo gave Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, A. C. S. Hameed, a list of New Delhi proposals on how to handle future relief deliveries.

Canada has lined up more than a dozen countries willing to contribute 10,000 to 15,000 troops to an international force that would seek to re-establish security in the area and resume regular relief deliveries.

And it has sent armed forces to safeguard relief deliveries in Bosnia, Somalia and Iraqi Kurdistan.