Army freeing more Tamil civilians - EROS - R. Srikanthan in London

LONDON: The Armed Forces will win more territories illegally controlled by the LTTE as the Forces advance deeper into the East, Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS)’s Nesan Shankar Raji stated yesterday.

Nesan is the son of the late Shankar Raji of EROS.

Nesan said the “LTTE is losing control of their illegally controlled territories daily”, adding the morale within the Sri Lankan Army was at an all-time high. Nesan congratulated the Armed Forces especially the soldiers in the frontline of fire for their bravery and commitment in helping the Government and the people in regaining territories to protect the sovereignty of the nation and free civilians being held by the LTTE under their control.

Nesan stated that the LTTE was facing huge difficulties in sending reinforcement and arms to its cadres in the East. He said the LTTE is making a mistake by asking its Northern cadres to exit the East and leaving the Eastern cadres in the front line to face the Armed Forces. Nesan reiterated that betrayal was nothing new within their movement.

“As I have always mentioned, the LTTE leadership thinks nothing of sacrificing the lives of its Eastern cadres over its Northern cadres which explains why Karuna and his cadres deserted them,” Nesan said.

Nesan stated that more and more LTTE cadres were surrendering to the Army pointing out that ‘the LTTE cadres that have surrendered themselves are wise and know that they do not have a leg to stand on and face the might of the Sri Lankan Army”.

He said civilians were moving into cleared areas out of the fear that they may be sacrificed as human shields by the LTTE and then used for propaganda purposes to wage more support from the diaspora.

Nesan stated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had showed more restraint towards the LTTE and had given the Tigers ample opportunities to negotiate a peace settlement and cease violating the CFA.

The LTTE on the other hand had done exactly the opposite and had consistently violated the CFA which led to the situation that they are facing.

“The LTTE is not the sole representatives of the Tamil people, they are the sole enemy of the Tamil people and are a danger to us and the future of the Sri Lankan Tamil community,” he said.

The release added “The LTTE must be wiped off and we the EROS, EPDP, TMVP, EPRLF (V), PLOTE, ENDLF, TULF and the TDC will see to it that they are eliminated and put into the books of history once and for all.

“The LTTE will cease having control of territories belonging to our nation, Sri Lanka, our motherland. The LTTE will cease having control of our community, and our community will be free from living in fear and intimidation.

Our people have the right to democratically elect their own leaders and representatives. Our people do not wish to be controlled by an armed dictatorial regime which is the LTTE. The LTTE has brought nothing but violence and suffering to the Sri Lankan Tamil community and we are indeed sick of it and the situation our people (Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims) are facing,” Nesan said.

The EROS called upon the entire Tamil diaspora to be brave and unite against the LTTE without fear and support the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil Democratic Alliance of EROS, EPDP, TMVP, EPRLF (V), PLOTE, ENDLF, TULF and the TDC in regaining control of illegally held territories and restore peace in the country.

Nesan believed that Sri Lankans do not wish for this violence and

killings to continue. He stated that Sri Lankans strove for a lasting peaceful resolution to the conflict that has cost the lives of thousands of people.