06-21-2004, 12:03 PM
<span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>Report: Sri Lankan military harboring renegade Tamil Tiger leader </span>
Associated Press, Mon June 21, 2004 03:25 EDT . COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP)
A pro-Tamil Tiger rebel Web site is accusing the Sri Lankan military of harboring a renegade rebel leader and says their collaboration is damaging the country's peace prospects. The revelation ``is likely to raise serious doubts on the bona fides of the government of Sri Lanka - and has introduced a potentially explosive component to prospects for peace,'' the Web site said.
The military has denied any involvement.
``We have nothing to do with their affairs and we deny that Mr. Muralitharan is with us,'' Defense Ministry's spokesman, Sumedha Perera said.
There was no independent confirmation of the TamilNet report. Phone calls made to the mainstream rebel group in the north remained unanswered.
After the uprising was defeated, the Tamil Tiger rebels announced a general amnesty for guerrillas who sided with Muralitharan, but not for the leader himself.
The rebels launched their separatist insurgency in 1983 in Sri Lanka - , claiming discrimination at the hands of the majority Sinhalese. More than 65,000 people perished before the government and rebels signed a Norway-brokered cease-fire in February 2002. Peace talks, however, broke down last year.
http://www.theacademic.org/#10878066670
Associated Press, Mon June 21, 2004 03:25 EDT . COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP)
A pro-Tamil Tiger rebel Web site is accusing the Sri Lankan military of harboring a renegade rebel leader and says their collaboration is damaging the country's peace prospects. The revelation ``is likely to raise serious doubts on the bona fides of the government of Sri Lanka - and has introduced a potentially explosive component to prospects for peace,'' the Web site said.
The military has denied any involvement.
``We have nothing to do with their affairs and we deny that Mr. Muralitharan is with us,'' Defense Ministry's spokesman, Sumedha Perera said.
There was no independent confirmation of the TamilNet report. Phone calls made to the mainstream rebel group in the north remained unanswered.
After the uprising was defeated, the Tamil Tiger rebels announced a general amnesty for guerrillas who sided with Muralitharan, but not for the leader himself.
The rebels launched their separatist insurgency in 1983 in Sri Lanka - , claiming discrimination at the hands of the majority Sinhalese. More than 65,000 people perished before the government and rebels signed a Norway-brokered cease-fire in February 2002. Peace talks, however, broke down last year.
http://www.theacademic.org/#10878066670
Truth 'll prevail