UP Ibalon Bicol: 82,000 flee war zone between the Tamil separatists and Sri Lankan military forces

82,000 flee war zone between the Tamil separatists and Sri Lankan military forces

4/23/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Of the hundred thousand civilians trapped in the last stronghold of Tamil rebels who fight the Sri Lankan government forces, an estimated 82,000 had escaped the area as fighting intensified in the 20 square kilometer stronghold where 43 Tamil fighters were killed in the last few days.

The Sri Lankan military also suffered casualties, but their numbers were not exactly known. According to Brig. Udaya Namakkara, the military spokesman, the cornered Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) insurgents were close to giving up their protracted fighting of 25 years. The government had demanded a final surrender from the Tamil tiger rebels holed in a tiny territory in the northeast part of the island nation.

“The Tamil people of the island of Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) constitute a distinct nation. They form a social entity, with their own history, traditions, culture, language and traditional homeland. The Tamil people call their nation 'Tamil Eelam'. Founded in 1976, the LTTE is the most powerful Tamil group in Sri Lanka and uses overt and illegal methods to raise funds, acquire weapons, and publicize its cause of establishing an independent Tamil state.

The LTTE began its armed conflict with the Sri Lankan Government in 1983 and relies on a guerrilla strategy that includes the use of terrorist tactics. The group's elite Black Tiger squad conducts suicide bombings against important targets, and all rank-and-file members carry a cyanide capsule to kill themselves rather than allow themselves to be caught. The LTTE is very insular and highly organized with its own intelligence service, naval element (the Sea Tigers), and women's political and military wings.”---http;//www.globalsecurity.org/

The Tamils had been waging a bloody genocidal war to gain independence from government which had been under control of ethnic Sinhalese. A total of 70,000 people have died as a result of the conflict.

“The increasing cost of the war comes as Sri Lanka is seeking a $1.9bn (€1.5bn, £1.3bn) loan from the International Monetary Fund to boost its foreign exchange reserves and shore up rapidly depreciating currency. The island’s economy has been hit by falling exports and remittance income from its large number of overseas workers.” ----FT. com Financial Times Asia Pacific (04/21/09, Leahy, J)

In the last few months, the United Nations, Red Cross, and other aid groups, warned of humanitarian catastrophe as people had been held against their will and used as human shields, bringing a death toll of about 4,500 civilians since the start of the year.

From humanitarian groups, suggestions to have a ceasefire so that civilians can leave the site of violence are unheeded. Independent reporters aren’t permitted access to cover the war zone. Analysts believe that even if the LTTE lose their stronghold, the rebel group is hard to defeat and eradicate completely. (Photo Credits: Sri Lankan Army/ AP; Rajarata; Tamil Sydney Photo; Quarsan)=0=

===========================================================

Labels: Celyon, genocide, insurgency, Liberation, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE, politics, separatist, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Totie Mesia, United Nations, war

UP Ibalon Bicol

82,000 flee war zone between the Tamil separatists and Sri Lankan military forces

Blog Archive

About Me

UP Ibalon Newsmakers

Topics/Categories

Feedjit Live Blog Stats

Topics/Categories

Featured

Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 74

ABS-CBN News

Recent Posts

GMA News.tv

Philippine Commentary

Inquirer Breaking News