Associated Press ,  Thu Jan 12 07:49:53 EST 2006
Eight Sri Lanka navy personnel were killed and eight more wounded Thursday when a bus ferrying a group of sailors going on home leave hit a landmine, a navy spokesman said.

''Eight men were killed and eight more were wounded,'' navy spokesman Jayantha Perera told Kyodo News. ''The blast occurred this afternoon at Chettikulam in the northern Vavuniya district.''

Other reports put the death toll at nine navy sailors.

The island's Tamil Tiger rebels were accused of triggering the claymore mine, the latest in a string of attacks that have cost the lives of over 70 soldiers and sailors since December.

The attack came just hours after a Cabinet spokesman told reporters that President Mahinda Rajapakse, elected on Nov. 17, had cautioned the military not to provoke the rebels into aggression.

''The president has asked the armed forces not to provoke the LTTE and to abide by the cease-fire agreement (of February 2002),'' spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva said. ''But they are entitled to act if the LTTE, for example, throws a grenade or sets off landmines.''

LTTE refers to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers for short.

Asked how long the government would restrain troops, de Silva said the government's commitment to the cease-fire accord and to negotiating with the LTTE has not changed despite the alleged provocations.

''We genuinely want to abide by the CFA and prove our commitment to peace to the world,'' he said. ''We urge the LTTE to do likewise.''

Diplomats and analysts said the LTTE appears intent on provoking a return to war having had time during the cease-fire the period to prepare for battle.

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- The Academic

What in the world is the government of Sri Lanka doing to stop this menace?  This must be the only time in the history of the world that a government is taking no action but turning the other cheek!  Its either time to get talks going with or without the Norweigians, or tell the world to help us (unfortunately we are getting little other than 'words') or respond militarily.  At least ask the people & then do something.  However, when one reads election rhetoric of the elected president and his supporters, we shall all be ok, and the problem is with the other parties!

Rainbow,

Are we not ashamed to beg help from other countries ?.  Are we not strong enough to fight this small group.  It is ashame on us and it will encourage LTTE to do more.  Where are those JVP and JHU comrades ? send them to the battle, ask them to join the army.  They are the people wanted the war ?  Because of these people only India and USA are not helping us.


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Be patriotic .. think of the motherland

MR has to take  full blame for all the soldiers & Civillians killed in North & east.

Because He is not doing anything.Nothing upto LTTT.President has to initiate something reasonable very very quickly
to sto peple dying.
People from Jaffna are moving to tigers controlled areas.This is shame on the the  President.
LTTT was right  in thinking  that Govt is not desperatate to solve the problems.They like to drag on while south enjoing peace,noth & east suffering from  killing & other inhuman activities of soldiers  & other lttt enemy parties.this created more more killing on both sides.

We have waited too long guys.
Haven't we had enough?
Roll them out.

What is the president doing?  He is not a capable leader, is he?

All violences including killings should be stopped immediately.  How many more poor citizens of this country needs to sacrifice their lifes because of the Southern and Northern extremists in the country and inept moronic leaders?


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They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin

Quote:

What is the president doing?

I think is he is too busy getting ready for the coming provincial election. So apparently no time to spare on minor matters like death of  soilders !

So now I know what "peace with honour" means!    

Yeah continue to condemn, condemn and condemn. Two things are sure, it will not bring back the murdered soldiers and it will not stop future murders by the LTTE terrorists.

According to the CIA fact book Sri Lanka has a democratically elected government. My Questions is; where is the Government hiding or was the Government flushed to sea with the Tsunami?

According to the CIA fact book Sri Lanka has 3 789 627 (2005 est.) males fit for military service? Why are they sitting passively watching the senseless LTTE terrorism?  

Twenty years of development has been lost because of the LTTE terror. Do the Sri Lankans want to loose more years and do they want to continue to wait for an outside Messiah to save them?

I regret to inform the Sri Lankan’s Mr. Erik Solheim is not the Messiah. He is the running boy for the ., a.k.a Prabakaran.

It is easy to get worked up and express your anger/ frustration with the GOSL, the president and the armed forces, when incidents such as the mine blasts, suicide killings etc., are taking place. When nothing like that happens, you are quite happy and focus on your daily matters. But for the government and the leaders, decisions cannot be made based on emotions.

LTTE is provoking the amry to retaliate, because the LTTE is facing great danger (internal clashes, running out of money and recruitment, cadres leaving the group) and the leadership is frustrated mainly because they don't have anything to show the Tamil people and the Tamils are getting warm with the army/ GOSL.

LTTE will pay the price dearly, when the time comes. The military should start their action at the time and place they choose, not the LTTE choose. So, don't get frustrated and angry with the GOSL, President and others. Read between the lines from the US ambassador's speech.. "LTTE will face a determined, well-equipped Sri Lankan army". This tells whats in store for the LTTE.

Tamils have to make a choice- either you support the terrorists, or you are against the terrorists. As long as the Tamils want a terrorist group represent them, nothing good is going to come their way. After some 30 years, one hope they might have known it already. LTTE can attack and wipe out an entire army camp (Elephant Pass) or blow up the airport and kill leaders (Rajiv, Kadirgamar)- Did the LTTE get the Tamil Elam?
Same thing for another 30 years and the Tamil community in Sri Lanka will become an insignificant minority.

GOSL and the armed forces know wiping out LTTE or completely eliminating the LTTE is difficult, or even impossible. What is possible is to take out the leadership, killing the terrorist leaders and commanders who control the terrorists and spread terrorsim in the country and abroad. Instead of fighting the grenade-throwing  child soldiers of the LTTE, all resources of the armed forces have to be focused on eliminating the leadership and the finances of the terrorist group.

Though it is known as a clear LTTE attacks, there is no evidence. After Karuna's brake away, many LTTE members and supporters killed by unknown groups. LTTE complained and no one was noticed that. No one told that it was CFA violation.
So, tigers are speaking the same language (which south can understand). Also SLMM repeting the same as no evidance.
South politicinas (Specially JVP) should learn to do the politics than just talking.

I take ur advice.
But can u depend on US help?
Read thsi from Asiantribune:
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16714
We are on our own.

GOSL,

Please be patient and hold your peace. All these are provocative attacks by LTTE terrorists and the GOSL should use this against the LTTE. LTTE is just tarnishing their name and credibility in the international arena (they don't have anything to tarnish locally).

My personal opinion is, declaring WAR by the GOSL is really a BAD idea, because;
1. GOSL went easy with the CFA and relaxed while the tigers did the opposite. All these small, large attacks will bring the GOSL back to military readiness (unfortunately at the expense of our brave soldiers).
2. Look at the number of security checkpoints in Colombo. Good. This will weed out LTTE rats (hopefully). If GOSL declares war, these rats will start to act and kill innocent people and cripple the establishment. As long as the CFA is intact (at least by name), LTTE itself can't run loose in the capital (again hopefully).
3. Let tigers declare war; really bad for them in the IC.

Let's be patient and _observe the situation_. However, I really don't mind if GOSL activates LRRP. LTTE will feel the taste of their own medicine.

To the proLTTE rodents out there,
Don't bother telling that this was NOT done by the LTTE.
Don't bother justifying this act.

To the anti-LTTE, blame MR guys/gals,
Stop blaming MR/JHU/JVP/UNP/Martians..etc. UNITE and start blaming LTTE. I am no fan of any politician or party, but I hold LTTE responsible for this.

To all "YOU ARE NOT SINCERE" ranters,
I'll save TLA some bandwidth. I am absolutely NOT sincere in being patient. All I want/wish is the total annihilation of all LTTE (including proLTTE) rats. For me, they are all the same. LTTE terrorists.

Sri Lanka only needs to depend on Sri Lankan soldiers to win the war against LTTE. The US and India will only help with intelligence and humanitarian assistance if war breaks out. China and EU will only provide humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka.

Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese are all feed up with the LTTE. LTTE has no mass following and the moral is low among their kidnapped cadres. The leadership, the fat tigers, should be taken out to limit the loss of LTTE soldiers. Most LTTE cadres are innocent victims of the LTTE fascist regime and if possible the SLA should use strategies limiting the loss of kidnapped children the LTTE is using to fight the fat tigers war.

The Tamil parties who have proven to solve problems through a democratic process (including Col. Karuna) should be involved to rebuild the political infrastructure in the LTTE occupied areas as soon the LTTE is defeated. I am 100% confident they will be able to protect the Tamils rights within a United Sri Lanka. The Tamils must be liberated from the LTTE tyranny and all Sri Lankans must be liberated from the LTTE terrorism.

Tamil dissidents together with local authorities can be involved in international mopping up operations to take out the International LTTE cells terrorising the Tamil Diaspora. In order to stop the LTTE cancer, it is important not to forget the LTTE international operations that could fuel a continued terrorism when the LTTE is military defeated in Sri Lanka.

Phoenix wrote:

Yeah continue to condemn, condemn and condemn. Two things are sure, it will not bring back the murdered soldiers and it will not stop future murders by the LTTE terrorists.

According to the CIA fact book Sri Lanka has a democratically elected government. My Questions is; where is the Government hiding or was the Government flushed to sea with the Tsunami?

According to the CIA fact book Sri Lanka has 3 789 627 (2005 est.) males fit for military service? Why are they sitting passively watching the senseless LTTE terrorism?  

Twenty years of development has been lost because of the LTTE terror. Do the Sri Lankans want to loose more years and do they want to continue to wait for an outside Messiah to save them?

I regret to inform the Sri Lankan’s Mr. Erik Solheim is not the Messiah. He is the running boy for the ., a.k.a Prabakaran.

Why don't you volenteer first ?   you can lead by example
It is always easier said than done