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LTTE turning desperate: Colombo

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan military on Saturday claimed to have killed 101 LTTE cadre in the last 48 hours and said the outfit is making “desperate efforts to prolong its imminent defeat”.

Three days ago, the military had estimated that the strength of the fighting cadre of the LTTE as less than 500 and that the Tigers were confined to 45 sq km.

However, little is known about the fate of an estimated 70,000 civilians trapped in the war zone. The pro-LTTE TamilNet in a report alleged that 281 civilians were killed and several injured in artillery fire by the Army into the “no fire zones”. The military denied the charge.

Meanwhile, the breakaway LTTE group turned political outfit Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal Party (TMVP) cadre led by Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) surrendered arms to the Army Eastern Command.

Mr. Pillayan is on record that there is no need for his cadre to carry weapons as the LTTE is being overwhelmed by government forces.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is firmly opposed to “isolation” of Pakistan in the sporting arena or in any manner internationally over the March 3 Lahore terror attack on the bus carrying Sri Lankan cricket team.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama made known his country’s position when U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian & Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher telephoned him to exchange views on the attack.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said the U.S. was concerned over wider implications for Sri Lanka’s security, especially in the light of the attack.

Briefing his American interlocutor on the discussions he had held with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, during his brief visit to Pakistan in the aftermath of the incident, Mr. Bogollagama said he was satisfied with the assurances given by the Pakistani leadership that no effort would be spared to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice. The Ministry quoted Mr. Boucher as saying the U.S. government was aware that the LTTE was firing at security forces from among the civilians, and hoped that the latter would exercise restraint . Mr. Bogollagama assured him that the security forces had always respected the sanctity of safe zones designated by the government, where the civilian population has been herded into by the LTTE, and would continue to desist from directing retaliatory fire at such areas, notwithstanding the repeated provocations by the LTTE against them, using the hapless civilians as human shields.

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