61 schoolgirls killed in air strikes by Sri Lankan military
[Monday, 14 August 2006]

More than 61 schoolgirls were killed and 150 wounded when Sri Lankan Kfir jets bombed a children's home compound in Mullaitivu district Monday morning where schoolgirls from Mullaithivu district were attending a two-day residential course on first aid. Officials of the Liberation Tigers’ Peace Secretariat, briefing reporters in Kilinochchi, described the attack as “a horrible act of terror” by the Sri Lankan armed forces.They condemned the “deliberate, cold-blooded and inhumane” targeting of the schoolgirls compound by the daylight air raid. Liberation Tigers called upon the UN’s child agency, UNICEF, and international truce monitors to visit the scene of the carnage. Full story >>

GoSL committed to taking all necessary measures to disarm armed groups
[Thursday, 23 February 2006]

The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) met in Geneva 22-23 February 2006 for talks on the Ceasefire Agreement.

Full Text of the press release:

The parties discussed issues related to the ceasefire, including the concerns of the Muslim, Sinhalese, and Tamil civilians.

The GOSL and the LTTE are committed to respecting and upholding the Ceasefire Agreement, and reconfirmed their commitment to fully cooperate with and respect the rulings of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).

The GOSL and the LTTE are committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that there will be no intimidation, acts of violence, abductions or killings.

The LTTE is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that there will be no acts of violence against the security forces and police. The GOSL is committed to taking all necessary measures in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement to ensure that no armed group or person other than Government security forces will carry arms or conduct armed operations.

The GOSL and the LTTE discussed all issues concerning the welfare of children in the North East, including the recruitment of children.

The SLMM will report on implementation on the above agreements at the next session of talks.

The parties requested the Swiss Government to host the next round of talks in Geneva on 19-21 April 2006.

TSUNAMI DISASTER:

Leader Meets Disaster Management Planners

17 January 2005

The Tamil National Leader Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, addressing a group of Tamil intellectuals and disaster management planners today 17 Jan 2005 in Kilinochchi, said that future planning should focus attention on the state of dependency that would arise consequent to the Tsunami disaster and reiterated the necessity to create the right livelihood environment, free of dependency on relief aid.

Inaugurating the sessions, Mr.Pirapaharan conveyed his appreciation to the intellectuals and experts in the various disciplines related to disaster management, rehabilitation and reconstruction, who have readily responded to the call at home of their brethren in distress. “Working day and night during the last few days, planning rescue, relief and reconstruction activities, you have demonstrated your commitment and affinity to your brethren in the homeland” commended the National Leader.

National Leader Appeals for Assistance

29 December 2004

Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, the national leader of Tamil Eelam, today appealed to the international community and the United Nations to generously assist the people of Tamil Eelam devasted by the Tsunami. "I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to my people who lost their kith and kin in this disaster. I also extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to our Muslim and Sinhala brethren in the south who were affected by the Tsunami", he said in a statement issued in Tamil by the headquarters of the LTTE.

He expressed his love and gratitude to expatriate Tamils for the assistance they are providing to the Tsunami devastated people of the northeast. He urged them to continue their assistance to help deal with the disaster.

Full text of the leader's message(in Tamil) (English Translation)

Death Toll Nears 10,000

28 December 2004

"More than 10,000 people are dead in areas across NorthEast. In Amparai alone there were 5350 dead," said Liberation Tigers, Tuesday afternoon. Cadres of Liberation Tigers and local non-Governmental organizations are working round the clock to provide rescue and relief effort to people in Mullaitivu, said Col.Soosai, Head of the Sea Tiger Wing of the Liberation Tigers. "No international aid from Donor agencies have reached Vanni, and we are using our own resources and assistance provided by the expatriate Tamils which is beginning to reach us," Soosai added.

Most parts of Amparai are difficult to reach by land and relief supplies have to be taken by sea routes one relief worker said. Also, a lorry belonging to the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) carrying relief supplies to the east was stopped by Sri Lanka Security personnel in Habarana but was later released after TNA MP, R Sampanthan, intervened.

LTTE statement said that death toll in Batticaloa district is 1504.

Since the fear of the spread of infectious diseases is high, the Liberation Tigers have given direction to take photographs of bodies unclaimed before burying them in mass burials.

Col.Soosai, speaking from Mullaitivu said: "Only 6 or 7 boats belonging to our fishermen are left usable after the tsunami. More than 1500 boats have been washed away into the sea. In one of our children's home we lost nearly 65 children to the waves."

"There is an urgent need for basic relief aid and medical facilities at the 221 Welfare Centers in the 6 districts," LTTE said in its statement.

Updated by the LTTE Peace Secretariat as at 6.00 PM, 28 December 2004

Information Hotline for Mullaitivu

+94 21 22 850 56 (8 A.M. till 6 P.M.)

+94 21 22 857 14 or +94 21 22 857 25 (all hours)