Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

hikzzz blowing up in the south ..

on members request:)

Thala,

Nice to have you back again !

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the government on a plea of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha to retrieve a 285-acre island in the Palk Strait off Rameshwaram from Sri Lanka.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Markandey Katju and Justice P. Sathasivam issued the notice on the AIADMK chief's plea that the late prime minister Indira Gandhi had ceded the Kachchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974 without suitably amending the constitution.

Appearing for Jayalalitha, senior counsel Harish Salve contended that the government was, in fact, yet to amend the constitution which is mandatory for effecting any change in the area of the Indian territory.

preventing/discouraging tamil people to vote to Ranil is another major error.

Japan, Sri Lanka's top donor, was cautious on Monday after the Tamil Tiger rebels' capital fell, with an official saying that only a
political solution could resolve the island's ethnic war.

Sri Lanka's army last week captured the de facto rebel capital Kilinochchi and said it was now closing in on the headquarters of the Tigers, who have been fighting since 1972 to set up an independent homeland for the Tamil minority.

Japan provides nearly two-thirds of Sri Lanka's international aid and has sent its special envoy four times in the past three years to try to broker an end to the conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Capturing the de facto capital of the rebels holds symbolic meaning but its military significance is limited,' he said.

Amid soaring casualties and without the support of the mechanised infantry brigade, troops of the SLA's 58th division have moved into the Elephant Pass complex and the surrounding areas. The EP complex and its immediate environs were systematically vacated by the LTTE over the past two days. The departure of the LTTE from EPS was always part of the strategic plan devised by the LTTE military panel.

Therefore LTTE leadership have asked the battle formations of EPS to adjust their forward boundaries further north.

The last remaining cadres to leave EPS were from the LTTE's elite IP and CA commando teams. They had stayed behind as it was an ideal opportunity for maximum harvest of SLA platoons. The cadres used covert land routes and sea tiger troop transport to vacate EPS. The SLA suffered heavy casualties during the offensive, numbering over 300 KIA, this was possible as EPS area is open terrain. The LTTE launched numerous artillery and mortar salvos on the advancing SLA units and caused maximum damage. The LTTE did not suffer any casualties itself, the cadres are safely back in LTTE controlled areas.
Elephant Pass is synonymous with national embarrassment for the SLA. In the bloody history of Elephant Pass battles, the SLA had suffered two of the worst debacles in its short history. In the first battle of EP in 1991, the SLA suffered over 1,000 casualties. The SLA managed to defend EP amid very heavy casualties, the LTTE casualties were very low. In the second battle of EP in 2000, the SLA suffered its worst ever defeat. Over 3,000 SLA were killed when the LTTE commanded by Colonel Bhanu and comprising mainly eastern cadres overran the Elephant Pass complex and completely liberated the area. In the latest battle, LTTE inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy before strategically withdrawing with its weapons and cadres intact.
The LTTE's overall strategy is now very clear. They have decided to forego occupation of symbolic towns and villages to regroup in the Mullaitivu jungles and launch guerilla raids on the SLA. Yesterday, the SLA suffered over 53KIA 2 miles east of Paranthan when LTTE commandos launched a surprise ambush on the advancing SLA units. A few bodies were captured and these will be handed over to the SLA via the ICRC shortly. A large haul of weapons were also captured during the clearing operations.