Air-strike, a warning to SLAF- Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 13:25 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan, stating that the air strike by the Tigers on the nerve centre of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) in Katunayake was "a one hundred percent successful mission," Thursday told media in Kilinochchi that the "precision air strike" by the Tigers on the SLAF was a "clear message" to the Sri Lankan state, to end the sustained bombardment of the Tamil homeland. "Within the last 6 months alone, the Sri Lankan Air Force has carried out at least 2 sorties every other day for more than 90 days. Hundreds of Tamil civilians have been killed, many wounded, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to the repeated bombardment," he added

"More than one third of the Tamil population in the eastern districts have been forced to lead a miserable life as Internally Displaced Persons due to the military aggression," Thamilchelvan said.

More than 150,000 civilians have been made IDPs by the agenda of war by the Sri Lankan state, he added.

"Colombo, mindful that a military defeat of Tigers was not possible, is keen to drag other countries to fight the inhumane war against the Tamils," Thamilchelvan said.

The Sri Lankan agenda of distancing the Tigers from the International Community by projecting the LTTE as a "threat to the regional or the International players," will not work, said Thamilchelvan responding to questions from media in Kilinochchi on the pre-dawn air strike by the Tigers Monday.

"The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) as a liberation movement is championing the cause of political liberation of the Tamil people, running a responsible governing apparatus with a clear democratic mandate of the Tamil people, and has progressed to a matured state formation process.

"Our military infrastructure operates in the very same way as any other conventional military infrastructure of a state," he said.

"Our forces are built and trained for the purpose of achieving freedom for our motherland and to consolidate it.

"Our struggle is aimed at achieving our own freedom, and we are no threat to anyone else other than the oppressive Sri Lankan state we are fighting against," he concluded.