Capture Prabhakaran alive, India urges Sri Lanka

Capture Prabhakaran alive, India urges Sri Lanka

India has reiterated that Sri Lanka capture Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran alive and extradite him to India, sources in the external affairs ministry said on Tuesday.
"India will continue to request that Prabhakaran be caught alive," a ministry source said.
At the same time, New Delhi is aware that Colombo will hand him over only after trying him in Sri Lanka for the crimes he has committed in that country, the source pointed out.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Monday Colombo would extradite Prabhakaran, if caught alive, to India - but after first putting him through trial in his country.
In an interview to CNN IBN channel, Rajapaksa said it was "almost over" for the LTTE chief and he could be caught very soon.
Asked whether Prabhakaran would be extradited to India, Rajapaksa said: "First he will have to go through our trial... And then might send him to India."
"Why should I keep him... India has the right... a man who is responsible for killing Rajiv Gandhi (former Indian prime minister in 1991), one of the greatest leaders," he said.
A Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber had blown up Gandhi during a poll rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu in May 1991.
The sources also said that as the Sri Lanka military ceased its combat operations against the LTTE, its conventional capabilities had been hit but its command and control systems remained intact.
Thus, there was a possibility of suicide bombings in Sri Lanka in the wake of the operations against the Tigers.
The sources send two de-mining teams would be sent to clear the areas that have been recaptured from the rebels.
This apart, India will step up its humanitarian assistance to Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka who have been displaced by the military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, the sources said.
"India is still very concerned about the civilian population in the no-combat zone. We will step up our humanitarian assistance to the Tamil civilians by sending shipments of food, medicine and other essential supplies," the source said.
Hindustan times

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Surrender, Daya Master tells LTTE cadres

Surrender, Daya Master tells LTTE cadres

SRI LANKA-Two former LTTE leaders who surrendered to the military last week, made an open appeal to the remaining LTTE cadres to lay down their arms and surrender, calling the armed struggle as a meaningless effort.
Former LTTE Spokesman Velayudam Dayanidi alias Daya Master and V.K. Pencharatnam, known as George, a former aide to the late political chief Thamil Selvan in an interview with the ITN yesterday urged the remaining Tigers to heed the call of the President and surrender. They also accused the Tigers of keeping civilians as a 'human shield' and shooting scores of people who tried to escape the 'safe zone'.
They also accused the LTTE of forcibly recruiting children as young as 13.
They also blamed the Tigers for the plight of civilians in the North and accused them of plundering food and medicines sent by the Government. They both said that they were treated very well by both military and the authorities. -dailynews

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Britain, France fail to win Sri Lanka truce ..

Britain, France fail to win Sri Lanka truce

COLOMBO (AFP) — The foreign ministers of Britain and France said on Wednesday they had failed to persuade Sri Lanka to end its offensive against Tamil rebels and allow aid in for civilians trapped by the fighting.
"We tried very hard -- we insisted and we insisted -- but it is up to our friends to allow it or not," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told a news conference after talks with the Sri Lankan government.-
http://www.theacademic.org-

photo-Sudath Silva

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India appeals to LTTE to surrender......

India appealed LTTE surrender.

India has appealed to the LTTE to surrender and negotiate with the government. Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, in an interview with NDTV a short while ago, also said India does not provide any military assistance to the Army which could be used for offensive purposes.-dailymirror

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Humanitarian operations continue.......

Humanitarian operations continue: 53, 58 Div troops advance through mined earth

SRI LANKA-LTTE terrorists suffered double blows losing two heavily fortified defence positions as 53 and 58 Division troops made predawn incursions at identified terror strongpoints located South of Valayanmadam today (April 28).
According to ground reports, 58 and 53 Div infantrymen have respectively gained total control over two LTTE built earth bunds located South and Southwest of Valayanmadam. 58 Division troops advanced Southwards from Valayanmadam, and gained control over a 600m long LTTE built earth-bund running across the coast from West to East, the sources further said. During subsequent search operations conducted troops have also uncovered 9 LTTE bodies, 15x T-56 assault riffles, 01x sniper gun, 11x claymore mines, C-4 explosives 1kg, 75 detonators, 53 'Arul' bombs, 47x hand grenades and 2x I-com sets.
Meanwhile, 58 Div infantrymen have also seized a modified armor plated truck used by LTTE terrorists and a few other heavy earth moving vehicles.
Terrorists have put-up heavy resistance to stall the two frontal military advance before fleeing further South, towards Mullivaikkal, security sources said. "The earth bunds were heavily mined, made to restrict both flow of the remaining hostages and military advances", a defence official said. -defence.lk

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Sri Lanka to host 12 World Cup 2011 matches ..

Sri Lanka to host 12 World Cup 2011 matches

International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat announced today that that Sri Lanka will host 12 matches in three venues of the 2011 World Cup matches adding that in all, 49 matches would be played at 13 venues in three countries.
India will get the lion’s share of the 2011 World Cup matches, given the unstable and precarious security and political situation in the three other host countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
India will host 29 matches in eight venues, Sri Lanka would host 12 matches in three venues and Bnagladesh would host eight matches in two venues, adding that in all, 49 matches would be played at 13 venues in three countries.
Lorgat said that this decision has been taken in the wake of the ICC deciding to deny Pakistan the right to host the World Cup in wake of the March 2009 terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket players.
He told the media that the opening ceremony of the World Cup would be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 18, 2011, while the first match of the tournament would be played in the same city on February 19, 2011.
Lorgat said that Bangladesh would host two quarterfinals, while India and Sri Lanka would host one each. India and Sri Lanka would host a semi final each, while India would host the final of the tournament.
He also said that the working groups of the World Cup Secretariat would henceforth operate from Mumbai till the conclusion of the tournament.
ANI

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Sri Lanka civilians' plight.....

Sri Lanka civilians' plight

SRI LANKA- The Sri Lankan government agreed Monday to stop firing heavy weapons into the war zone in the northeast to avoid injuring thousands of civilians trapped there, but resisted growing pressure for a cease-fire in its war with the Tamil Tiger rebels. A pro-rebel website immediately accused the government of violating its promise by launching airstrikes on a village in the densely populated area.

With a truce in the coming days appearing unlikely, here are some questions and answers concerning the plight of civilians in the war zone.-www.latimes.com-pix by-Sanath Priyantha/Associated Press

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The Under Secretary General of the UN Sir John Holmes.

UN -Sir John Homes visited the IDP welfare Camps

SRI LANKA-The Under Secretary General of the UN Sir John Holmes visited the IDP Welfare Camps (Menik Farm) in Vauniya yesterday and promised to donate 10 million US Dollars through UN agencies to facilitate Tamil civilians .photo-news.lk

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London based LTTE mobs attack Indian and Sri Lankan High...

London based LTTE mobs attack Indian and Sri Lankan High commission buildings

LTTE mobs during a protest demonstration have turned violent and smashed the windows of the Indian and Sri Lankan High Commission buildings in London today (April 27). By stone throwing two Metropolitan police officers have been injured at the Sri Lanka High Commission premises and admitted to hospital.
An LTTE mob engaged in a demonstration in Central London became violent and demolished windows of the Indian High Commission building at Aldwych in Central London. Meanwhile, a smaller mob demonstrating in front of the Sri Lanka High Commission in Hyde Park Gardens were also involved in stone throwing to break windows. Police said the mob at the Indian High Commission tried to enter the building through the reception area but were pushed back.

In their earlier demonstration, the London based LTTE mobs beheaded a Jawaharlal Nehru statue put up by the Westminster City Council close to the Indian high Commission about two weeks ago.
The second demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission saw a participation of about 150 hardcore LTTE supporters. The violent demonstration brought traffic to a standstill, with the mob throwing small missiles at the High Commission Building, situated in a busy spot in Central London. The mob reported to have smashed up eight windows on the ground floor.

The demonstration in front of the Sri Lanka High Commission at the Hyde Park Gardens was a smaller one with the participation of 30 odd LTTE supporters . The mob has reportedly smashed one window of the Sri Lanka High Commission .

The supporters of the LTTE think the survival of Prabhakaran is vital for movement to sustain and carry on with the separatist movement with terrorism, a political analyst said.
The Metropolitan Police said, "Three people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage at the Indian High Commission, and at the Sri Lankan High Commission, one person has been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, one on suspicion of criminal damage and one on suspicion of a public order offence. Two police officers, on duty outside the Sri Lankan embassy, have been taken to hospital with injuries-By Walter Jayawardana-defence.lk

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