Sri Lanka war to end in 48 hours: PRESIDENT

[Sailor]

Sri Lanka war to end in 48 hours:
2009-05-15

COLOMBO, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's over 30-year-old conflict with the Tamil Tiger rebels is to end within the next 48 hours, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has said.


Sri Lanka's troops have been surrounding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Karayimullivaikkal and Mullivalikkal areas - just 3.5 sq km in extent in the northeastern Mullaithivu district.

Meanwhile the troops said that they had heard a loud explosion followed by a thick black smoke coming 200 meters high from the rebel holds around 6.30 p.m. local time Thursday (1230 GMT).

All rebel communications had ceased after the explosion, military said.

The whereabouts of senior rebel leaders are still not known despite military's inching on to the areas they hold.

More than 70,000 died in the island's separatist war waged by the Tiger rebels to carve out a separate homeland for the minority Tamils.

 

[Yusuf]

He said the same a week ago and a week before that as well. Its just to keep buying time from the international community which is putting pressure to stop the war.

 

[Ray]

The war may end, but what is more important is that the LTTE should end.

Will it?

What would be the effect in Tamilnadu?

Right now, it is election rhetoric. Anyone knows what is the grassroot feeling out in Tamilnadu?

 

[Arjak]

I dont understand why the tamils of india support ltte......afterall ltte is a terrorist organization.,....they held tamils of SL hostage for their own vested interested,which causes civilian casualties....... Even after repeated requests to surrender,they refuse to do so.....why?? Does this do any good to the tamils?? They have forgotten the purpose of their creation.....if they care so much bout the good of tamils,they should have surrendered the first day, sl army started the operation....everyone knew thease wd cause heavy civilian casualties.......now,they have become a major threat to the subcontinent,even to india....

 

[Sailor]

Jako, that is very philosophical in your analysis of the situation.
You are correct to conclude that the 'so called' Tamil fighters are in fact bandits, addicted to guns, warfare and killing and have little regard for the civilians and their political future.
THANKS

 

[S.A.T.A]

The support by Indian Tamils to the LTTE,both overt and covert,is largely by defaut.LTTE may be aterrorist organization,but its also the only group actively and visibly engaged in the cause of Srilankan Tamils(of course its another matter that LTTE eliminated most of the others) and there is no doubt in the minds of Indian Tamils that the SL Tamils are discriminated by the Sinhalese and any struggle against this discrimination is legitimate.

I t would be ridiculous to construe the current brouhaha over the SL Tamil issue in TN as a result of the elections.Tamils are genuinely horrified at the increasing Tamil casualty in the current conflict in SL and the excessive use of force on civil habitation.SL govt has not exactly explained why it requires to deploy heavy artillery against the LTTE held enclaves,when the SL army itself has reported that the remnant LTTE troops are only armed with light to medium caliber arms&ammunition's

Things will hot up once the elections results are announced tomorrow and if one or more of the Dravida parties are likely to play the king makers role,they will extract tough pledges from the govt of the SL Tamil issues.

Rajapaksa would do well to do what he has promised in another 48 hrs........that perhaps is all what he is got.

 

[MMuthu]

Sri Lankan's are not Saints and LTTE are not Satans.

I am not supporting LTTE, If they cannot fight back the SLA, They should have tasted cynide long time ago. Keeping the Civilians as Human Shields is not acceptable.

Jako, Who told you that the Tamils in India are supporting LTTE? May be the politicians speak a word or two saying LTTE are heroes thinking that may get more votes for them. But as you know it is purely for geting vote banks.

Tamils support the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Malaysia... or in what ever part of the world they reside but not LTTE.

A political solution has to happen in Sri Lanka in a peaceful manner, If SL thinks that they have abolished LTTE and continue with the attrocities against Tamils, then they are wrong... Another LLTE will uproot in no time.

 

[Sailor]

I own up to the fact that all this local politics is far beyond me here in Australia.
As a citizen of the world, I like most would want to hope that the announcement of the war coming to an end is actually true. This war has dragged on and on and dragged the country of Sri Lanka down with it.
I put up the announcement as a forum topic in that hope.

Any first hand knowledge of Sri Lanka comes from my next door neighbors who migrated to Australia to start a new life for their kids away from it all. These people by the way are Buddhists. They have told us of what they have lived through for years.