02-05-2006, 04:54 PM
A guerrilla group in Sri Lanka has threatened to attack troops because of the government's "crackdown" on Tamil civilians in the north and the east.
The People's Army, which has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in the island in December, made the announcement on a Tamil website.
It comes at a time when the government and the Tiger rebels are deciding on dates for a meeting in Switzerland.
A Tamil Tiger spokesman said the group was not associated with the rebels.
If the group carries out its threat it would end a lull in killings and threaten peace talks between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The Norway-brokered talks are being held against a background of an increase in violence.
In its statement, the People's Army accused the Sri Lankan government of carrying out attacks on Tamil civilians and increasing searches and arrests in the north and east.
It said it would respond with operations against the military soon.
The government has denied the allegations.
'Popular uprising'
Speaking to the BBC, a spokesman for the Tiger rebels, Daya Master, said the People's Army was not a part of the organisation.
He said it was a popular uprising, but few in the government will believe such denials.
The threat reflects increasing tension that could yet scupper the peace talks due later this month.
The agreement from the government and Tiger rebels to attend a meeting in Geneva was brokered by a Norwegian peace envoy, Erik Solheim, in January.
It brought a lull in a series of killings that began in December and left at least 120 people dead and stretched the 2002 ceasefire to near breaking-point.
But last week the Tiger rebels said the talks were threatened by the abduction of 10 staff from a Tamil charity, three of whom were later released.
The rebels blamed a breakaway faction led by a former Tiger commander that they claim is now fighting with the government.
Both sides are jockeying for position ahead of what could be a return to either the negotiating table or full-scale war.
More than 64,000 people have died in two decades of fighting between the government and the rebels.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asi...sia/4682982.stm
The People's Army, which has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in the island in December, made the announcement on a Tamil website.
It comes at a time when the government and the Tiger rebels are deciding on dates for a meeting in Switzerland.
A Tamil Tiger spokesman said the group was not associated with the rebels.
If the group carries out its threat it would end a lull in killings and threaten peace talks between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The Norway-brokered talks are being held against a background of an increase in violence.
In its statement, the People's Army accused the Sri Lankan government of carrying out attacks on Tamil civilians and increasing searches and arrests in the north and east.
It said it would respond with operations against the military soon.
The government has denied the allegations.
'Popular uprising'
Speaking to the BBC, a spokesman for the Tiger rebels, Daya Master, said the People's Army was not a part of the organisation.
He said it was a popular uprising, but few in the government will believe such denials.
The threat reflects increasing tension that could yet scupper the peace talks due later this month.
The agreement from the government and Tiger rebels to attend a meeting in Geneva was brokered by a Norwegian peace envoy, Erik Solheim, in January.
It brought a lull in a series of killings that began in December and left at least 120 people dead and stretched the 2002 ceasefire to near breaking-point.
But last week the Tiger rebels said the talks were threatened by the abduction of 10 staff from a Tamil charity, three of whom were later released.
The rebels blamed a breakaway faction led by a former Tiger commander that they claim is now fighting with the government.
Both sides are jockeying for position ahead of what could be a return to either the negotiating table or full-scale war.
More than 64,000 people have died in two decades of fighting between the government and the rebels.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asi...sia/4682982.stm