Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran was on Monday shot dead by Sri Lankan special forces as he tried to stage a dramatic breakout from the army encirclement, a military spokesman said.
Moving to retake the last remaining LTTE bastions in the north, Sri Lankan troops on Monday reached the southern outskirts of strategically vital Elephant Pass after capturing a key town on the road to the rebels' coastal stronghold Mullaittivu, the military said. If the troops recapture the corridor, which was lost to the Tigers in 2000, a vital land link to Jaffna peninsula will be re-established.
Sri Lankan troops on Sunday entered a key town on the road to the last remaining Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam stronghold Mullaittivu and were within striking distance of the vital Elephant Pass as the army said the operation to capture Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was on course. Fresh from their takeover of rebel 'capital' Kilinochchi, troops entered the strategically vital Oddusuddan town located along the Mankulam-Mullaittivu main road.
Filmmakers Bharatiraja and Seeman, who have been vocal in their support for Sri Lankan Tamils and the demand for a separate nation, Eelam, are going all out to derail the Congress in Tamil Nadu.
In a fresh blow to beleaguered Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Sea Tigers' deputy chief Cheliyan was killed by the Sri Lankan forces, which moved deeper into the fast-shrinking rebel territory in the embattled north. Cheliyan, the second-in-command of the Sea Tigers, was killed in Kariyamullivaikkal on Friday in clashes with Sri Lankan, the Media Centre for National Security said on Sunday.
Ruling out the possibility of any sudden fall of its last bastions of Killinochchi and Mulaitivu, Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran has said that his group still had thousands of fighters and was also working to "rebuild" relationship with India.
Sri Lankan forces on Thursday fought their way to just 800 meters from the area where an estimated 10,000-15,000 Tamil civilians are trapped along with the top leaders of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The government troops pushed into the rebel-held village of Karayamulliavaikkal, advancing over areas heavily mined by the Tigers and fighting off attacks from their suicide bombers. Between 500 to 1,000 hardcore Tiger rebels have formed a last wall of defence.
Sri Lankan fighter jets on Wednesday pounded Tamil Tigers position near the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam strongholds of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu in the embattled north as the advancing forces killed at least 20 militants in fierce clashes near the de facto capital of rebels, officials said. Lankan security forces yesterday killed at least 20 rebels as troops captured a strategic area near the rebel headquarters of Kilinochchi, the defence ministry said.
The LTTE certainly did not expect to fade into oblivion, their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran a fugitive. A couple of years ago, the Tigers were rampant, scoring victories on land and sea, and terrorising Colombo with their makeshift air force. What turned things around? Probably much covert aid from governments, including India's, wary of the Tigers' propensity for redrawing boundaries by force
With the beleaguered Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam confined to a small area of 4.5 sq kms, Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka has said the troops are consolidating their positions despite heavy attacks from remnant rebel cadres in the north, where at least 21 guerrillas were killed in intense clashes.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who is on an indefinite fast in support of his demand for immediate ceasefire in the Sri Lankan army's offensive against the LTTE.
Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers are subjecting ethnic Tamils in their northern stronghold, Vanni, to forced recruitment, abusive forced labor, and restrictions on movement that place their lives at risk, the Human Rights Watch said in a report.
Talking tough, the United States on Friday told Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to immediately end the war in the island's north and cautioned Colombo that its unity and reconciliation could be at stake if it continued with its current endeavours to end the ethnic conflict 'militarily'. The White House said it was taking 'very seriously' the allegations of violations of international humanitarian law by both sides.
India on Friday urged the Sri Lankan government to cease its offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and declare a truce in the conflict zone. The Centre also rushed National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Colombo to step up its diplomatic pressure.The decision was taken at a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
'They told them to use it against the Indian Peace Keeping Force. It was they who gave them arms, so it has to be them who give the Tamils amnesty. It is their ethical duty to do so,' says S C Chandrahasan, founder of the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation.
As the Sri Lankan army prepares for a final assault against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the United States on Monday expressed its deep concern over the humanitarian situation in the conflict zones there, saying 'it is in a terrible condition'."We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation there. It is dire," State Department Acting Spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.
A day after Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi stated that he viewed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam supremo V Prabhakaran as a 'friend', Sri Lanka on Monday said that the Tamil Nadu chief minister was trying to exploit the issue for electoral gains. "Mr Karunanidhi is a Chanakya. He knows what to say and when -- not that he is not aware of Prabhakaran's attitude," Minister for Social Service Welfare Douglas Devananda said.
In the endlessly entertaining and absorbing soap opera that is India-Sri Lanka relations, wait for the next episode, Aditi Phadnis reports.
Beleaguered Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran has apparently agreed to a rescue mission by a "western country" to evacuate Tamil civilians trapped in war zone in Sri Lanka's north amid the government's announcement of a temporary 48-hour pause in fighting to enable thousands of displaced persons to move to safer areas.
Tamil protesters clashed with the UK police on Tuesday as they laid siege of the British Parliament demanding an international action to stop "genocide" by the Sri Lanka forces, who are preparing to inflict a "decisive blow" to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas.
He said the army has captured the entire Pudukudiriyirippu area that was under the control of the Tamil Tigers, who have lost many of their key leaders in the latest fighting. Important LTTE leaders killed in the clashes included Vidusha, Nagesh, Durga, Deepan and Patabi, Nanayakkara said, adding another senior rebel leader Banu was injured.
Expressing unhappiness over India's stand on the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Tuesday said the Tamil community expects New Delhi to extend its support to their 'national aspirations', even as it renewed its call for a ceasefire with Colombo. The Tamil Tigers also refused to lay down arms for resuming political dialogue with the Sri Lankan government to resolve the 30-year-old ethnic conflict.
Up to 120,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada formed a human chain in downtown Toronto, protesting against the genocide back home.
Amid widespread speculation about the whereabouts of the Tamil Tiger supremo, who has vowed not to be captured alive, the Lankan military on Monday said that Velupillai Prabhakaran could be at the centre stage of the battle with the army.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Monday appealed to the United Nations to investigate possible war crimes by the Sri Lankan Army and said it has 'plenty of evidence' to prove its claim. But the Tamil Tigers made no mention of the UN's allegations that the LTTE may also be committing war crimes by killing innocent civilians in the ongoing offensive."The Sri Lankan government is carrying out genocidal massacres by deliberately targeting civilians," the LTTE said.
The Obama administration has shelved the idea of launching a massive military evacuation of nearly 200,000 Tamil civilians trapped in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam strongholds, sources have told Rediff India Abroad.
The Madras high court has dismissed a public interest litigation seeking to direct police to register a first information report against Union Minister V Narayanasamy for his alleged remarks against slain Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and 'Naam Tamilar' party president Seeman.
As Sri Lankan forces step up attacks to take control of a key Tamil Tigers' stronghold, the government has ruled out any ceasefire and asked the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam to lay down arms and surrender.
He clarified that the government is not going to help the LTTE "as it is a terrorist organisation responsible for assassination of an Indian Prime Minister and not even apologised for it."
Buoyed by the string of recent military success against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Sri Lanka has once again asked the beleaguered rebels to surrender to facilitate the safe exit of the Tamil civilians.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko has convened a two-day international seminar on the alleged atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils in New Delhi on January 10-11, 2009.
The editor of a Tamil daily was picked up by the police on Thursday for "questioning" in connection with the news on last week's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam aircraft attack on Colombo that targeted a government building.
In the wake of reports that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam might allow civilians to leave the conflict zone, India on Tuesday asked the Sri Lankan government and others to work out 'appropriate and credible' procedures for their evacuation and expressed readiness to help in this direction. India is ready to provide all necessary help to facilitate the process of bringing innocent civilians to safety and to meet their humanitarian needs for relief materials.
Concerned over the 'hostilities' towards civilians in the conflict-hit northern part of Sri Lanka, the United States has asked the island government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to hold negotiations to end the fighting. "We want the government and the LTTE to discuss ways to end the hostilities," said Robert Wood, acting spokesman of the State Department. He said one of their primary concerns is the humanitarian situation in the country. "
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, seeking his urgent intervention in the Sri Lankan issue.
The European Union on Tuesday stepped up pressure on Sri Lanka to probe alleged human rights abuses during the 25-year ethnic war that came to an end after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers.
At least 21 civilians were killed and over 20 others injured when a group of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels opened indiscriminate fire at them in eastern Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday. "According to latest reports received, the death toll at the LTTE village massacre on Saturday at Kirimetiya has risen to 21 civilians, while over 20 others including children had sustained serious injuries," it said.
India on Saturday expressed concern over the latest turn of events in Sri Lanka, particularly the air raids by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam aircraft over Colombo, and appealed to the government and the militant organisation to come to a peaceful negotiated settlement. "An LTTE plane has been shot down. This is of concern. Political solution has to be found to the LTTE issue and military action will not do," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukhjerjee told reporters.
For the LTTE to be able to stage a come-back one, it needs a beach-head out of the reach of the Sri Lankan armed forces where it can re-group, re-train and re-plan and wait for an opportunity to strike back.
In a daring attack, two LTTE aircrafts tonight carried out strikes in the heart of Colombo dropping bombs near the Army Headquarters ground and on a government building in the high security zone. At least 28 people have been injured, news reports indicate.
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