Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - Three days of mourning, arms silent; then a violent reaction could raise the level of civil conflict in Sri Lanka. This was how Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam responded to the death of political leader of the insurgency, S.P. Tamilselvan, whose funeral is today. Tamilselvan was killed during a government bombing on a secret LTTE communications centre.
If Colombo sees the death of the Tamil leader as a success, analysts say it could plunge the country into widespread civil war and another season of bloody political attacks. TAMIL MPs say the killing of Tamilselvan marks the end of the peace process, in difficulty for some time.
A ministry of defence statement speaks of a “surgical attack which was an opportunity to eliminate Thamilselvam". LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has decided to honour Tamilselvan raising him to the highest army grade and has announced retaliation.
Thamilselvam joined the LTTE movement in 1984. He led the Tamil delegation which took part in talks with the government in Geneva in 2006. For Tamil moderates and the National Tamil Alliance who hoped a compromise would end the civil war, the death of Tamilselvan leaves no hope for a negotiated solution to the conflict.
The number of war casualties in Sri Lanka continues to rise: over 5.400 people have been killed since the end of 2005, when fresh fighting began. Since 1972, at least 60,000 lives have been lost. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/11/2007 righe 25 parole 252)
