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The operation gathered speed after the military's noon (0630 GMT) deadline for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to surrender passed without any word from the separatists, in what appears to be the final act in Asia's longest-running war.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned the situation was "nothing short of catastrophic" and urged both sides to prevent further mass casualties among civilians, saying hundreds had been killed in the past 48 hours.
The neutral agency did not assign blame to either side.
Sri Lanka's military, in what it dubbed the world's largest hostage rescue operation, moved in to keep the stream of people moving and give troops a clear shot at the LTTE and its elusive leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran.
"So far 49,054 people have come out and still people are coming in. Troops are expanding the area under their control," military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.
The United Nations and Western governments have urged the military to renew a brief truce to negotiate the civilians' exit, a plea the government has rejected on the grounds the Tigers have dismissed all entreaties to let the people out.
The state-run ‘Daily News’, quoting army commander Lt-Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said soldiers had reached the shoreline and taken control of the only medical facility in the no-fire zone, a makeshift hospital run by the ICRC in Puttumatalan.
ICRC Raises Fears
ICRC said it feared the operation could lead to a drastic increase in the number of casualties.
"The situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Ongoing fighting has killed or wounded hundreds of civilians who have only minimal access to medical care," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of ICRC operations, said in a statement.
At least 50,000 people remain inside the no-fire zone, ICRC spokesman Simon Schorno said in Geneva. The military said the number is less than that but has no updated figure. Before the exodus, it had said around 60,000 were in the area.
The stream of people leaving started on Monday after troops breached an earthen berm blocking the main route out of a 17 square km no-fire zone, the last scrap of the separate state the LTTE fought to build for Sri Lankan Tamils.
The presence of tens of thousands of civilians has been the main obstacle for the Sri Lankan military, which has cornered the rebels with the aim of finishing a war that erupted in 1983 and has killed at least 70,000 so far.
With the war now nearing a conventional end, Sri Lanka will face the twin challenges of healing the divide between the Tamil minority and Sinhalese majority, and reviving a $40 billion economy suffering on multiple fronts.
The island nation is seeking a $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund loan to shore up a balance of payments crisis and boost flagging foreign exchange reserves, half of which were spent defending the rupee in the last four months of 2008.
Tamils Protest
The final operation set off protests by expatriate Tamils in London and Paris, the latest in weeks of demonstrations against the military offensive by Tamils in cities across the world.
In Paris, around 180 people were arrested and four injured when the demonstration turned violent as protesters blocked an intersection and threw objects at buses and police, police said.
The LTTE insists people are staying with them by choice, and on Monday a pro-LTTE website reported a large number of people had fled towards Tiger areas.
It also said nearly 1,000 were killed in the assault, quoting LTTE political head B. Nadesan. The military denies killing civilians.
The United Nations has long said the LTTE was forcibly preventing people from leaving and forcing others to fight.
Late on Monday, Sri Lanka's military released a video shot by an unmanned drone, which it said showed several hundred people in a tight cluster along the shore being fired at by LTTE fighters.
A few seconds later, two people outside the cluster aim and fire what appears to be a rifle toward the people several times. Muzzle flashes are visible in the video, which the military said was taken near the northern border of the no-fire zone on Monday.
It was impossible to independently verify the competing accounts since the battle zone is off-limits to most outsiders.
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This is in response to what Mr.Indian has written. He has mentioned that all Tamils of Srilanka are descendants of people who worked for British empire. This clearly shows he is totally ignorant of Srilankan history. Tamils are living in Northern(Jaffna) and eastern Srilanka for thousands of years. They are the sons of the soil. It is the Sinhalese who as per their own history are immigrants from eastern India, the migration taking place around 500 BC. Mr.Indian perhaps means the Tamils living in the Southern Srilanka which is a mountainous region with full of Tea estates. They were brought to the estates by the British in the nineteenth century. These Tamils have nothing much to do with the current ethnic struggle. Mr.Indian should first understand the historical background and then make his comments. I appreciate Mr.Raviraj Reddy for his unbiased views.
If there is any award in the world for the best lier, the same shall be given to Srilankan president Rajapakse. Definitely the curse of the total real tamil society will never leave him in peace.
Sri Lankan Tamils deserve this suffering. When IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) started operating in Jaffna and other surrounding areas, the local Tamils ensured maximum torture and cheating to IPKF. They seek help of them and point at hutments claiming Tigers hiding there. Once IPKF enters there, the hutments are made to explode killing all the jawans entered there. Likewise, how 7 para troopers of IPKF team were burnt alive putting rubber tyres around their neck. The local people supported LTTE and other organizations all along. If they have minimum sense, they could catch Prabhakaran and his accomplices and hand over to Sri Lankan Army, before much damages are caused.
It's time our leaders learn from the Sri Lankanns.Their army strength,arms and ammunition are far less compared to India.But they have genuinely fought the LTTE and today they are drawing close.Also the leaders there support the army and not the LTTE.Our army is one amongst the best in the world.But the leadership in India is not effective enough to tackle terrorism.
this war only ends when Tamils gets their Land and this war will not stop by killing one Prabakaran and now there is 100000 Prabakarans started organizing their aspirations with a never ending problem to SriLankan Government.British tried in India, Africa using their guns by killing thousands on innocent civilians.ANC,Zapu and Zanu in Zimbabwe(Rhodesia)organizd their gorilla war and eventally South African Govt surrendered to ANC and same thing happened in Rhodesia.So now the Tigers will be everywhere.Every drop of blood from Innocent Tamil civilians will bring big heads roll from INDIA ,and SRILANKA.This is a war from the heart and every drop of blood will bring the Srilankan Govt to their Knees and whoever hate the Srilankan Tamils legitimate organization will be in great trouble in near future.This will be seen Indian Politics and World politics.Lot of blood spilled in Ruwanda and Bill Clinton regretted for his inaction and INDIA will see a great tragedy for its inaction and SriLankans will be sleeping with no peace in their mind.Alluta continua.The struggle continues.
Complete annhilation of LTTE is the need. Sri Lanka is doing the right thing to protect its national integrity. As for us, we need to see how Sri Lanka handles the tamil issue after its offensive on LTTE is completed. If their tamil rehabilitation and full integration into Sri Lankan society is not done justly, then we need to pressurise Sri Lanka. Until then, we need to support Sri Lanka in its efforts to eliminate this LTTE. Moreover, we need to ensure that we don't have tamil refugees pouring into Bharat like the Bangladeshis. These tamils are not Bharatiyas but Sri Lankan. Sri Lanka is their land and they need to be accomodated in Sri Lanka.
LTTE kill people out of madness - they killed Rajiv Gandhi and humiliated indians. LTTE proved that it is a terrorist organization.India should watch the situation only like the international community. If any help need to be provided to the civilians, it should be only in co operation with international community.
Sir,I congratulate the Sri Lankan Government for taking on the Terrosists squarely. Indian Government must learn a lot how to deal with terrorists from the Island nation. No country in the world has dared to take such a drastic step against organised terrorism. Hats off to the Sri Lankan Government and the Army which had planned to take up the very difficult task in the face of manifold logistic intricacies. India needs leaders like late Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri not politicians who indulge in empty rhetoric! Surendra Sharma
While we wait for annihilation of LTTE in srilanka, let us get real w.r.t what our indian govt. will do for srilankan tamils. We have to remember that, people affected are not from minority community - so do not expect any help from our govt. as long as mataji is going to be at the helm of affairs. Of course it is another thing that the anna's thambigal will continue to support mataji for getting their due share of national pie.
Tamils is SL are an oppressed nation and facing the genocidal attack of the Sinhala racist regimes over the past several decades. Oneday, we will establish an Independent state for us even without the help of Indian hypocrites. We will re-establish our lost kingdom and bring back the glorious period we had under Chola dynasties.Indian central govt.diplomats are autocratic and arrogant. We will get the help of China and US to establish our dream. We have the right of self determination. We will decide how we wanty to live. Indians cannot dictate terms to us.RegardsSivarama Krishnan
THE TAMILIANS HAVE FINALLY BEEN WIPED FROM THEIR OWN LAND IN SRI LANKA. THANKS TO THE POWERFUL INDIA ! THANKS TO POWER LOBBIES OF TAMIL NADU !YOU HAVE CHEATED OUR OWN BROTHERS IN SRI LANKA. INDIANS CANNOT BE SAFE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WITH SUCH INDIA'S ADMINISTRATION. LET ALL IAS/IPS/IFS RESIGN. INDIANS CANNOT PAY YOU ANY MORE. A BLACK DAY TO MOURN.
John is right. Demise of lTTE is the best interest of India. The LTTE Experiment will give Indians, the inspiration, courage and determination, to defeat and annilate Pakistani terrorists and recovering POK from their clutches. DS.
The demise of LTTE is good for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The moment they tied their fortunes to this terrorist outfit, they lost any claim for moral high ground. This also goes for all the Tamil diaspora in the west who keep sending money to support these murderous thugs. No amount of protests, stomping on the ground and cries of "genocide" will change that fact. The last time I checked, the LTTE were busy firing on their own captive human shields to prevent them from escaping. What cowards!
Along with the dead Indian soldiers, Rajiv paid the price of sending soldiers against the Indians living outside india, n the whole india is still paying the price. Across the world every nation, protects its citizens wherever they are, n especially when dere is open masacre happening on lakhs of Tamilians, Shame on UPA nd Congress, for waiting allowing for what has happened. This is invitation for another distater after Rajiv's killing.
Continuing on my previous. If leaders like Karunanidhi, Vaiko and others are true tamilians. Why haven't they offered themselves to be the mediators between Sri Lanka and LTTE to bring peace and get the rights that the Tamils are asking for. Not once they have asked LTTE to drop arm struggle and come to discuss with the Sri Lankan Government. If they did that and it failed. Then they can tell the entire world that a peacful solution was tried and it failed due to Sri Lankan government did not comply. So at this point just asking one side to stop violence while the other is very well capable of the same is not acceptable. I wish our Government did the same in J
I disagree some of the comments posted. LTTE should be compared to terrorists that we had in Punjab and we have in J
I see some of the comments posted here are by some of the greatest fools on earth who are making a mockery of the conditions that the Tamils are facing at the hands of the Srilanks.I dont know whether to laugh at your colossal ignorance or weep at your supreme stupidity.so dont post comments if you dont know anything about the freedom struggle.
It is true that those who live by sword will die by sword. But think about the innocent civilians. They may not be of your race-region-religion. But they too have the right to live in this blood-thirsty world. Those who wipe the tears of the suffering masses are to be encouraged and not those who wipe a race from the face of the earth. God give this wisdom to our so called intelligensia.
Civilized world should avert such human tragidies. All issues should be resolved at the earliest opportunity. No issue should be allowed to develop to a level when such tragidies become inevitable.Violent means to achieve any objective should find no place in the civilized world.Leaders of masses should evolve themselves to see the harm they may be causing to the followers by their decisions.Mumltiracial communities are evolving in many countries and hence there is greater need to understand and adjust rather than taking exreme steps like separatism.
If anyone compares Sri Lanka's Tamils to the Kashmiris they must be either ignorant of history or mentally off balance. Kashmir was invaded by the lunatics from the Middle East
Dravidians say the same thing, they were living in the much more fertile lands until the lunatics and racist aryans invaded and pushed them from the Indus Valley to the dry regions of the South. Will You agree Arun. take a DNA sample of the Kashmiri Pandits and the Kashmiri Muslims and you will be surprised to see that their ancestors are absolutely the same. Change in religions and ideology has not changed the loyatly to the soil. Look at issues with greater tolerance and broad mindedness and kill your fanaticsl views.All of us can and must co-exist, the problem with pakistan is a short transition in the long history of Indian subcontinet, things will change and must change if the people of both nations forget and forgive. Worst enemies in Europe such as germans and English are having honeymoons but out of ego and pride we keep fighting
None of the press and other media has asked Rajapaksa and other Singhalese political leadership about their intended political solution for the aspiration of the Tamils. It is time Singalese leadership reveals to the Tamils and the world their intentions. There’s in no effective Tamil leadership except handpicked Singhalese leadership for manipulative purposes. UN, UK, USA have a binding moral responsibility to assist the untarnished
Where are Congressi iron men now who were blaming BJP as cowards ? Tamils hindus should be saved in Lanka and India should send military to save them.
What about Tamil christians and tamil Muslims of Sri Lanka? sacrifice them in the altar of Hindu fanaticism Mrs. Bhaunmati? Why the narrow mindedness? All human beings are born equal, there is unity of humanity and unity of God. All those who are innocent civilians in any internal;, national, international or communal conflicts must be saved irrespective of their religion, race, language, caste, colour etc.Will you accept if Bangladeshis say that they have to send it Bangladesh army to save the minority Muslims of Burma called the Rohingyna Muslims? Did India send its troops to save the Indians of Fiji or Kenya or Burma or Uganda when thousands were put to immense troubles? During the Gujarat massacre of Muslim minorities in 2002, some pakistanis asked their Govt to take military action against India for what Gujarati politicians were doing. Would you have accepted such a proposal? No way. Why Not? Since the Govts are unable to do any thing to stop the blood bath, some rogue elements took the laws into their own hands and that was the result of terrorist attack as the one that happened in bombay a few months ago retribution and retaliation can not be completely stopped.
Indian military in already busy killing innocent Tamilians in Sri Lanka, but nothing will come out in out secular media.
Whatever those language lovers in India may say, a complete annihilation of LTTE is in the best interest of India. India was their only comfort and hope, still they killed Rajeev Ghandhi. This proves their madness and they can be a treat to the nation at all point of time. If England starts to protect the English speaking all around the globe, all of us will call them Don Quixote. So as to all language lovers as well!
NDIA IS NO MORE ONE COUNTRY AND NEVER WAS WHEN ONE ONE FAMILY VS. ONE COMMUNITY. wHAT IS HER CONTRIBUTION TO iNDIA EXCEP MARRYING RAJIV.
innocent civilians are getting punished both by LTTE and LANKAN FORCESHOLDING CIVILIANS AS SHIELD SHOWS LTTE IS TERRORIST ORGANISATION TAMILS SHOULD HAVE NO RESPECT FOR SUCH TERRORISTS
From 1949 to 1977 a number of Non-voilence movements by Tamils under the leadership of Mr. Selvanayagam was suppressed by the Srilankan government with force. At that point of time they did not fight for separate nation but for equal rights. Only after Black July riots in 1983 which claimed lives of more than 1000 innocent Tamils, terrorist organization started to gain popularity among Tamil youth's. Genesis of LTTE and similar other outfits can be primarily attributed to the gross injustice of the Srilankan government to Tamils and their "ONLY Sinhala" propaganda. In India equal rights to all citizens is guaranteed through constitution, and political parties are interested in providing more provisions for the minority people. Whereas in Srilanka the government systematically and steadily took measures to suppress minorities. For instance tamil students has to get more mark than Sinhala student to get a place in university. They were also denied opportunity in government jobs. Many basic rights were denied to Tamils. So as long as such social injustice exits, new terrorist organizations would come up with different strategies and would continue to exist without any end. Now both Tamils and Sinhalese are tired of war, all they want is a peaceful environment to live. So devolution of power and providing equal rights and opportunities to all citizens can only ensure durable peace in the island nation.
Thank you Mr. Raviraj Reddy for revealing the real crux of the problem in Srilanka. I was very keenly reading you have mention only devolution of power and providing equal rights.......not separate nation! Any way these are facts and facts are always bitter. May the Almighty save these dying innocent Tamilians at the hand of Sinhalese Govt supported by Indian Government indirectly and at the hands of LTTE who were earlier groomed and supported also by Indian Govt. Irony.....Terrific irony.
It would be better if you knew the entire history before vomitting some propoganda spread misinformation here.What you call as the "Only Sinhala" propoganda is the "Official Language act" of Srilanka passed in 1956 which made provision for Sinhala being declared as the Official language of the state.In India we have Hindi as the Official language and south of Vindhya's we dont speak Hindi.So what should we do?Start an armed struggle for separate country each for us Tamils then for Telugu,Kannada,Malayalam speaking people?About Tamil students neeing more marks than Sinhala students,that another vomitting.You are obviously talking about the Standardization act passed by the Srilankan Govt in 1973.This amendment enabled students coming from rural areas have equality with the students coming from Urban areas.Student coming from a backward rural area needed to score lesser than student coming from Urban area - this was dont to ensure that the imbalance arising out of the geogrphical parity is evened out.It robbed seats of Sinahala's from Urban areas and gave it to Tamils from Rural areas and vice versaMy humble request,without knowing what is what,dont just write some crap here from the propoganda machinery that has worked overtime
Raviraj reddy>>>>some of the discriminations that you indicate can never be the reasons for asking for a separate nation when the tamil population consists of just 12% of the population. In spite of the so called equal rights under the Indian constitution, if you objectively do research you find the Indian Govt has been doing exactly what Sri Lankan Govt has been trying to do for the Sinhalese in order to bring a balanced growth. Because until 1950 only some castes and communities had a big share of the GDP in India. Until 1970, the tamils were the elite and the most educated people holding most of the senior positions in Sri lanka, and in order to correct this imbalance, the Govt introduced very many affirmative actions in the form of reservations meant to improve the educational and social status of sinhalese. Tell me the percentage of dalits in the Indian armed forces.Why have we recruited far too many Sikhs and Napalese in our armed forces? Is it not discrimination? National Govts should strike a balance between discrimination and social justice.
Tamils in srilanka are the descendents of people who worked for British empire. They were pampered by the british and held important position in all spheres at the time of independence. The srilankan government had no other alternative but to take actions for the upliftment of the native srilankan, who are budhist, like reservation for SC/ST in India. How can the tamils resent such positive action
For the last 25 years, every politician in tamilnadu has used the Srilankan issue for their own gains. None had a clear and definite approach, none dared to suggest a permanent solution, none dared to tell that violence cannot be used to solve a problem.India has got its independence by Non-Violence, but our politicians particularly in Tamilnadu have sided by Violent struggle for independence or equal rights for Tamil in SriLanka. What we practice we dont preach. We preach what is convenient and popular. There can be NO solution if the struggle continues like this...