Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Mr Thamilselvan was the public face of the rebels The Tamil Tigers have vowed revenge after the man believed to be their number two was killed in a Sri Lankan air force raid. The military said SP Thamilselvan was at a meeting with other leaders in a camp when it was targeted on Friday. There are fears the killing could lead to an escalation of the war with the rebels, who want an independent state for the Tamil minority. Sri Lanka's government has described the killing as a major success. The rebels' top leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has made a rare public appearance to mourn SP Thamilselvan. The Tamil Tigers' spokesman, Rasiah Ilanthiriyan, told the BBC the group's response to the killing would be in deeds, not words. 'Surprise' But the rebel spokesman refused to be drawn on the manner of the retaliation they would take. He said it had to be a surprise. SP Thamilselvan was the head of the rebels' political wing and held an important position in their hierarchy. In areas they control, the Tigers have declared three days of mourning for SP Thamilsevan and the five others killed in the bombing raid. SP Thamilsevan's death follows that of another key rebel spokesman, Anton Balasingham, last year. Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said: "If we want we can take them one by one, so they must change their hideouts." The rebels announced on Friday their police chief, P Nadesan, would replace Mr Thamilselvan. He will also remain in charge of police. The pro-rebel TamilNet website said the air strike had been carried out in Kilinochchi, the rebels' northern stronghold. It followed a Tamil Tiger attack on an air force base at Anuradhapura last week which left 14 security forces personnel dead and destroyed eight aircraft. Observers say the two sides now seem to be gearing up for a major confrontation in the north of the country. The rebels are fighting for autonomy for minority Tamils in the north and east, claiming discrimination by the majority Sinhalese population. About 70,000 people have died in more than 20 years of war. ------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7076288.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 Massive blow to the LTTE. The guy was very popular and LTTE's face to the outside world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Marirs are you pro LTTE? Just curious :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 Marirs are you pro LTTE? Just curious :D Excellent question. Hmmm.. You could say i am mildly sympathetic to their cause , but oppose their means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Are you Tamil? :haha: I am kind of neutral and would prefer if both sides just stop fighting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 Are you Tamil? :haha: I am kind of neutral and would prefer if both sides just stop fighting! Yes Sir , I am. Yet, I dont see the point of you putting the laughing smiley, unless ofcourse you put it in a mood of self-congratulation for correctly "guessing" my mother-tongue. Again, when did i say i supported their fighting ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Are bhai I was just stating where I stood. I am always flip flop between the two sides. I was not attacking you at all. Yes you never said that you wanted the fighting to continue either. Btw I put the smiley because I did not want you to get offended in anyway...you know in case you were non-Tamil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 k.. cool ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 What is the best solution to the problem in your opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 What is the best solution to the problem in your opinion? Increased Autonomy and self-rule for the Tamils in the North, but under the umbrella of a single Sri Lankan state. The Tamils should have their own separate elected legislature and govt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gs Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Increased Autonomy and self-rule for the Tamils in the North, but under the umbrella of a single Sri Lankan state. The Tamils should have their own separate elected legislature and govt. Wouldn't that be setting a wrong precedent? What if more areas in SL come up with such demands? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Wouldn't that be setting a wrong precedent? What if more areas in SL come up with such demands? MORE areas ? What do you mean ? There is only one linguistic minority and its the Tamils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gs Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 MORE areas ? What do you mean ? There is only one linguistic minority and its the Tamils. Wasnt just restricting this to linguistically different areas. It could be on any basis - religion, culture, heck anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Wasnt just restricting this to linguistically different areas. It could be on any basis - religion' date=' culture, heck anything![/quote'] A region full of people of different culture, language or religion is NOT a recipe for a freedom/self-determination movement. It is when you have been consistently discriminated by the state and given second class treatment that the particular group of people will revolt. That is what exactly happened in Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese majority has a long record of discrimination/abuse of the Tamils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bongosamaj Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 That is what exactly happened in Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese majority has a long record of discrimination/abuse of the Tamils. Well, one could argue that the Tamils started it all by invading Sri Lanka & force-settling SL after raining utter-destruction on the Sinhala kingdom. So where do you draw the line ? IMO, the Tamils forfeited any moral grounds they may've had the moment they launched terrorism against innocent Sinhala civillians. So, i will throw my weight behind the Sinhala in these matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Well, one could argue that the Tamils started it all by invading Sri Lanka & force-settling SL after raining utter-destruction on the Sinhala kingdom. So where do you draw the line ? IMO, the Tamils forfeited any moral grounds they may've had the moment they launched terrorism against innocent Sinhala civillians. So, i will throw my weight behind the Sinhala in these matters. Does that give the Sinhalese the right to discriminate against people of their very own country ? The attacks was launched as a response to the discrimination, not the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tendulkar Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Tamils in SL are a disgrace. If they dony like the country they should fack of to another country eg India. Not go around blowing people up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bongosamaj Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Does that give the Sinhalese the right to discriminate against people of their very own country ? The attacks was launched as a response to the discrimination, not the other way around. So does that make the attacks justified ? Can the muslim fanatic claim discrimination as his justification for blowing innocent people up ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 So does that make the attacks justified ? Can the muslim fanatic claim discrimination as his justification for blowing innocent people up ? Nope, never justified terrorism, which is what LTTE attacking innocent civilians with suicide bombings is. Just put the history in proper sequence, that is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bongosamaj Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Nope, never justified terrorism, which is what LTTE attacking innocent civilians with suicide bombings is. Just put the history in proper sequence, that is all. Well proper sequence starts with Tamils invading Sinhala lands, annihilating their lands & force-settling their lands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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