Sri LankaÂ’s government claimed Tuesday its forces had killed 22 more Tamil Tiger rebels and brushed off international concerns over the islandÂ’s slide back into all-out war.Security forces backed by war planes advanced into rebel-held territory on Monday killing at least 22 guerrillas for the loss of two government soldiers, the defence ministry said. The latest claim brings this monthÂ’s rebel toll to 397 dead against 20 government soldiers killed, according to the islandÂ’s military.
The government abandoned the ceasefire two weeks ago, saying there was no point attempting to negotiate with a “terrorist outfit” - as the LTTE are also considered by the European Union and the United States. Colombo has also warned international donors not to upset its ambition to defeat the LTTE and kill its leaders before pushing through a political solution to the island’s long-running ethnic war.
Warning: During talks with Japanese envoy Yasushi Akashi on Monday, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama warned against “any international action that could jeopardise the government’s initiatives in the peace process.”
The foreign minister argued that any international pressure on the island’s government - which is also under fire over its human rights record - “would only strengthen LTTE intransigence and trigger increased violence.” Japan, the biggest donor to Sri Lanka, has hinted that aid could be withheld if violence keeps escalating in the island’s 36-year-old ethnic conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Speaking to reporters after meetings with the island’s leaders, Akashi repeated a call for Sri Lanka to hammer out a political solution with the Tigers to avoid “violence and greater civilian casualties.”
He said the end of the ceasefire “may prompt the pursuit of military solution of the conflict” - something the government appears committed to already - “with dire humanitarian consequences.” The envoy, a former UN diplomat and trouble shooter in Cambodia and Kosovo, did however stop short of clearly threatening to cut off aid.
“Japan’s aid programme is based on complex factors like political, economic and humanitarian needs. We will closely monitor the situation here before taking further action,” Akashi said.