The Tamil Tigers have been surrounded by the Sri Lanka military within a radius of only six square kilometers. On the verge of defeat, the rebel group called for a ceasefire which the Sri Lanka government promptly rejected. “The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is not in a position to request or require anything,” said Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona.
“Given the unprecedented humanitarian crisis and in response to calls by the UN, the European Union, the governments of United States, India and others, the LTTE announces a unilateral ceasefire. Cease all offensive operations with immediate effect,” said the guerrillas in a note.
On Saturday, the LTTE complained of the starvation of up to 165,000 civilians that have been trapped in the areas under its control. The UN estimates that there are actually about 50,000 civilians caught in the crossfire. The government estimated the figure to be between 15,000 and 20,000.
The Army on Monday launched a bloody offensive that resulted in the move to government areas of some 110,000 civilians now housed in refugee camps. Over the recent days, the Sri Lanka government has been determined to militarily end the LTTE which has been fighting for more than 25 years to obtain an independent state for minority Tamils.
Via VOA News
