Tamil Tigers announce plan to surrender

[oberliner]

Source: Guardian (UK)

Sri Lankan troops were today mopping up the remnants of the defeated Tamil Tigers as thousands of civilians trapped for months between the warring sides made their way to safety.

Some of the rebel fighters were reported to be blowing themselves up as troops approached, and a large explosion in a bunker prompted speculation that the Tigers' leadership had killed themselves. The army claimed that intercepted radio communications had revealed a mass suicide plan.

Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the Tigers' chief of international relations, said the rebels had abandoned the fight and were laying down their arms. In a statement on the pro-Tamil website TamilNet, he admitted that the three-decade war was over. "This battle has reached its bitter end," he said.

The same website cited the Sea Tigers commander, Soosai, claiming that thousands of bodies were lying on the ground or in bunkers.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/17/tamil-tigers-surrender

[Turbineguy]

1. A long nightmare coming to an end?

Let's hope so.

[Posteritatis]

7. It's really weird to think of this one as over (nt)

[ohio2007]

2. "unconditional" or not at all. otherwise

they just want to live to fight another day

[dipsydoodle]

3. Government has rejected the ceasfire

Should be in here somewhere eventually but may not have been updated yet. On our home BBC News that is latest the LBN banner headline from minutes ago. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8054169.stm

[oberliner]

4. Does that mean the government will just kill the remaining Tamil fighters?

From the AP story:

The government rejected the last-ditch call for a cease-fire, saying the thousands of civilians trapped in the war zone all have escaped to safety and there was no longer any reason to stop the battle.

Also:

But 63,000 civilians fled the area over the past 72 hours, clearing the way for the government to finish off the rebels, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said Sunday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVoaDFmbCYS-Usz9ACDRIengj21QD987UVFG0

And I've seen/read reports of the Tamil leaders committing suicide as well.

[ohio2007]

5. It means the Tigers "dictated offer" to remain reblious in the future has been refused

They have to come back with a better more passive plan like one that the Sri Lankan govt imposes on them.

[ohio2007]

6. Tamil Tigers surrender to Sri Lankan govt

snip

‘They were actually defeated some time ago, but they have formally accepted defeat only now,’ military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told AFP.


‘They fought for an Eelam (separate state) that they could never win. It was only a waste of lives. They have caused massive death and destruction over the years. Finally they themselves have realised that it is all over,’ he said.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/08-tamil-tigers-surrender-to-sri-lankan-govt-ts-03

Time to put a shovel,mop and bucket in the hands of the former fighters and clean up the mess.