There is plenty of action happening in Srilanka currently. The LTTE Supremo Prabhakaran with a few of his loyal Commanders like Pottu Amman, Nadesan and others is encircled in the Vanni forest along with the Tamil people in a 20 Sq Km radius in an area designated as NFZ(No Fire Zone). He was outside the No Fire Zone and a few days ago about 10,000 Srilankan army surrounded that area and ordered over speakers for the LTTE to surrender. Prabhakaran and few others left this area outside the NFZ and rushed into the NFZ. He was on constant touch on his communication system. When the LTTE juniors found themselves surrounded by a massive army they called back requesting for more arms, reinforcement to which Pottu Amman replied back while crying over his walkie talkie that was the best he could do and cannot do anything further. While Prabhakaran's assistant sent a terse message that nobody should return back alive and should fight the army until death. The guys at the front could not do anything as their families were back in NFZ and if they surrendered their families will be killed. After a long pause with sufficient time given for surrender the Srilankan army attacked these front end and killed 450 cadre LTTE in 24 hours.The army has recovered the birth certificates, horoscopes and family photos of Prabhakaran. His first son Charles Anthony has been badly injured in an earlier attack.

This news of the junior LTTE caught between the rock and the hard place has been confirmed by the relatives of them living in Scarborough, Markham and North York. Right now Srilankan army is announcing over the speakers for the LTTE to surrender while the LTTE is not responding. There are massive explosions going on inside the NFZ and it is suggested that the LTTE is detonating bombs for scaring the tamil people from escaping. It is also rumoured that Prabhakaran has entered the jungle part with a few key guys and has instructed the others not to contact him and he also said that the Srilankan army will not get him and the only thing they will get will be his ashes.

The current LTTE propaganda is that Indian army is involved inside the final attack. They have claimed that the Srilankan army has used chemical poison gases to gas out the LTTE. They have released pictures of the same. They also claim that about 325 Indian army guys have been injured in the current operation and 200 have been airlifted to Pune while 125 to Chennai.

What I do not understand is that if Indian army is so good, what the F*&K ! are they doing in the Kashmir border when the Taliban is strolling down the border ?.

The LTTE supporters in Canada are in a last ditch battle to save Prabhakaran by organizing protests in Ottawa and in Queens Park. The tamil community is divided, while one part say that they should carry white flags to these rallys, the other half say no and whe should carry the LTTE flag which incidentally they claim to be the Tamil Eezham flag. It was also reported that Prabhakaran had tried to negotiate a final peace deal with the Srilankan government using Eric Solheim of Norway for a safe passage, which has been shot down by someothers that they could get a international cease fire by drawing attention to the vanni situation. They have used KP(LTTE chief negotiator) based in Thailand for this negotiation, incidentally KP is wanted by India, when the Indians rushed to Thailand for arresting KP, he was let go by the Thailand government.

The LTTE supporters are also planning to drive down around 50,000 cars on Gardiner Expressway on a working day to choke the entry and exit to the Toronto downtown area to draw attention to their protest.

It is really sad to hear grown men and women crying on CMR 101.3 FM begging others to participate in these protests to save Prabhakaran!. Some even are suggesting of attacking Sinhalese in GTA to provoke them for the setbacks in Vanni!.

Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman(wanted for Rajiv Gandhi's murder in India) are facing their last days of their lives and their end is anytime NOW!.

While VaiKO is warning of bloodbath in Indian Tamilnadu if anything happens to Prabhakaran!.

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-newsPublished:

Chennai , Apr 8 MDMK leader Vaiko today warned of a\\\"bloodbath\\\"in Tamil Nadu if\\\"something\\\"happened to LTTE leader V Prabhakaran in the ongoing offensive by the Sri Lankan army in the island nation&aposs Tamil areas.

Addressing a protest demonstration here, Vaiko, a staunch supporter of the LTTE, said there was nothing wrong in youth taking to arms and joining the LTTE in its fight against the Sri Lankan army.

\\\"The Tigers are fighting the army and will continue to do so. If something happens to Prabhakaran, there will be bloodbath in Tamil Nadu,\\\"he said.

Vaiko accused the Centre for not taking steps to ensure a ceasefire.

================================================
* Will keep updating on receipt of any new developments.

Tamil = Trouble !.

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1889902,00.html

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1475039

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

EXTREMELY HOT NEWS:

IS IT ALL OVER FOR LTTE SUPREMO PRABHAKARAN?.


http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/09/stories/2009040958140100.htm


Pottu Amman “takes charge” of LTTE

Colombo: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) intelligence chief Pottu Amman has taken the overall command of the outfit amid the “fast deteriorating mental health condition” of its supremo V. Prabakaran, the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said on Wednesday. — PTI

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

The man who wrote his own destiny:

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=45734

He designed the flag with 33 bullets in 1976 and after 33 years in 2009 is he dead?.

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=I+am+dying,+Eelam,+dying&artid=SQ0fqtdHXI8=&SectionID=d16Fdk4iJhE=&MainSectionID=d16Fdk4iJhE=&SEO=Velupillai+Prabhakaran,+V+Gopalasamy&SectionName=aVlZZy44Xq0bJKAA84nwcg==




V SudarshanFirst Published : 10 Apr 2009 03:15:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 10 Apr 2009 09:14:37 AM ISTVelupillai Prabhakaran is in an unpredictable mood these days. Sometimes when his gimlet eyes fix on those around him, he looks murderous.


Sometimes he looks like a broken man muttering under his breath, I am dying, Eelam, dying, as though he were in some Shakespearean melodrama. Those around him are wary of talking to him when Prabhakaran is having a conversation with himself. When they see a rage building up inside him, they keep out of the line of his sight. The only time they go to tell him something is to give the news from the battlefront. Sometimes the battlefront is four kilometres away. At other times it is less than a kilometre away. All the time the battlefield is shrinking. Sometimes they don’t have to tell Prabhakaran some of the news because he can hear it coming too. That is when the Sri Lankan shells come with a high whine and explode and body parts lie everywhere. It is not what the explosion does that is terrible. It is the sound of screaming that follows that is unbearable. The screaming goes on for hours without stop.

All the news from the battlefront is bad news. All the news that comes via the satellite phone is bad news. They couldn’t get the UN to intervene. This MP will try to do this but it is difficult. They couldn’t do this. They couldn’t do that. They had to shoot a few who were trying to break the cordon here. They had to fire into the crowd to restrain a rebellion there. All the stack of medicine was over and amputations had to be done without the help of medicines. Water was running low. A thousand were dying of bullet wounds and other injuries. Many were already dead from the pain. There were no more ablebodied youngsters left to defend the last positions, should they look for older persons? More shells had fallen in such and such place and so many had been wounded and so many dead. Should they ask people to start burying those who had been dead for a day? Whenever he gets the latest bad news, those around Prabhakaran keep their fingers crossed. They have no idea whether he is going to burst into tears or start shooting at everything and everyone in sight. Often these days Prabhakaran feels he has been stabbed in the back with a knife that has Tamil lettering on its handle.

He had had the same feeling many years ago, when Rajiv Gandhi had corralled him into Hotel Ashok in New Delhi and coerced him into accepting the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. Then he had complained to V Gopalasamy that he had been stabbed in the back. “I feel like committing suicide,” he had confessed to V Gopalasamy on the phone twenty-two years ago. The lettering on the knife handle then had been English.

Anton Balasingham had translated it for him, clause by clause. Often these days Prabhakaran thinks of committing suicide.

He wants to ask Gopalasamy, “What have I done to deserve this fate? Have I sacrificed my whole life for this? Should I have settled for much less than Eelam?” Eelam was slipping away from his grasp like a fistful of Puthukudiyiruppu beach sand.

All that answers him is the warm evening wind moving among the coconut trees near his bunker. But now he cannot get on the phone and tell Gopalasamy that he wants to end it all. The only person who gets on the satellite phone nowadays is Nadesan. He is on the phone to Malaysia, to Thailand, to UK, Canada. They are all advising Nadesan to tell Thalaivar to save himself and escape while he still can. With him around there will be hope for the movement. Soosai had the boats ready. All that had to be done is to give the signal and they could make a break for it past the cordon of vessels four nautical miles away where they are safe from LTTE range and head towards a mid-sea rendezvous under the cover of darkness.

Prabhakaran curses himself often for asking the Tamil people to boycott the November 2005 presidential polls that brought Rajapaksa to power. Sometimes when those around him think that Prabhakaran is talking to himself he is not. Prabhakaran sometimes talks to Rajapaksa whom nobody can see except Prabhakaran. These are not good conversations. They make Prabhakaran angry. During every conversation with Rajapaksa, Prabhakaran walks with exaggerated slow steps away from Rajapaksa and suddenly whirls around, whips the revolver from his waist holster and fires at the imaginary Rajapaksa screaming, “Go ahead. Make my day.” The first time that it happened they told Pottu Amman of the chief’s disturbing behaviour. Pottu, looking for clues, had asked a technical question: “Does he whirl to the left or does he whirl to the right before shooting, and how is his aim?” They had been too surprised to notice.

They became worried again when Prabhakaran had pointed a gun at those who were refusing to dig trenches to defend the last positions and declared, “In this world there’s two kinds of people, my friends. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.” Then Pottu, the intelligence chief, understood clearly what was going on. “ I think he is beginning to think he is Clinton Eastwood.” They asked Pottu, “Is that good or bad?” Pottu had given them no answer and lapsed into silence. Then he said: “It all depends.

It could be good. It could be bad. Or it could be ugly.” Over the radio that Prabhakaran was now in the habit of listening came a song Undhan desathin kural, tholu doorathil ado, seviyil vizhatha…sonda veetuntrai va vendru azhaikuthuda thamizha…. (Do you not hear your country calling you from afar? It is calling you to come home Thamizha…) It was a poignant song with a funereal rhythm and the nadaswaram made it sound even sadder. Prabhakaran was silent as he heard the song. His gimlet eyes softened with a faraway look. Then came the commercial breaks and after that the headlines.

The announcer was saying in Chennai the political parties had called for a ceasefire…. Prabhakaran heard the headline and flew into an immense rage. He began muttering to himself and started to walk with exaggerated slowness away from the radio. Suddenly he whirled around whipped out the revolver and shot the radio.

In one smooth movement. He had whirled to the left and the radio was shattered.

In his hand the gun was smoking.

Politicians, he spat out the word. “These are politicians, Pottu, politicians. They will bury us all here. I should have been a politician.

There’s no future in this business.” It was suddenly dark. Over the wild wind came the sound of shells hurtling down.

There came a series of deafening explosions nearby. Somewhere a child began to cry in a whimper. The screams grew steadily louder as more voices joined in

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200904111042.htm

Sri Lankan troops enter no fire zone
Colombo (Xinhua): Sri Lankan troops nearing the end of their campaign against Tamil Tigers have entered the no-fire zone in the north, state radio reported on Saturday.

The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in its main English news bulletin said the army's 58 division led by Brigadier Shavendra Silva had entered Puttumatalan no-fire zone Friday evening.

However, the military is yet to officially confirm the troops' entry to the government declared no-fire zone for the safety of over 100,000 civilians from the minority Tamil community.

The army's 58, 53, 59 and task force eight divisions have been surrounding the area since Wednesday when the government announced its final notice to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels to surrender and allow civilians to escape for safety.

According to Sri Lankan military, the rebel communications monitored have indicated serious difference of opinion among the LTTE members after the announcement.

The rebels have fired at civilians who wanted to leave for the safety under government control.

The government claims that some 66,000 civilians have already arrived in government welfare centres and more are expected.

The military said once the civilians exit the area, they would free the entire area of Puttumatalan free of rebels ending their over three decade old separatist campaign.

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090412/FOCUS.HTM

LTTE debacle at Aanandapuram: Top Tiger leaders killed


Army's firepower has been
too much for the Tigers

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Then out spake brave Horatius, the Captain of the gate:

To every man upon this earth

Death cometh soon or late.

And how can man die better

Than facing fearful odds,

For the ashes of his fathers

And the temples of his Gods

— Thomas Babington Macaulay

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organisation has experienced many major setbacks during the course of its 33 year old history.

Despite misgivings expressed on these occasions by prophets of doom, the movement has always managed to withstand these blows and continue on its politico-military journey.

Nevertheless the debacle it suffered in the Aanandapuram area of Puthukkudiyiruppu AGA division, during the first week of April seems to be different both qualitatively and quantitatively.

In what may very well be the defining moment of the on going war the Tigers have lost a vast array of illustrious fighting commanders as well as large numbers of cadres in a single battle.

More than 625 bodies of dead LTTE fighters have been recovered and a special military intelligence squad was busy identifying those killed. Some details are being revealed in stages.

Silent

The LTTE keeps “official silence” over the debacle and its propaganda networks keep ‘mum’ but the bad news is spreading slowly yet surely.

LTTE stalwarts are contacting close relatives of the Tiger leaders who died at Aanandapuram and informing them of what happened. The relatives are told to conduct religious rites and funeral ceremonies on a low key.

Likewise different Tiger officials are informing close family members of the other Tiger cadres also about what had happened to their departed relatives.

Among the fallen Tigers “Col” Theepan (presumably promoted posthumously as Brigadier) is perhaps the single biggest loss to the movement.

This LTTE veteran with 25 years of experience hails from Kandawalai in Kilinochchi District and served as overall commander of the LTTE northern front fighting formations.

Sivatheepan Thavabalasingham alias Theepan was also the de facto deputy military commander of the LTTE after the demise of Kandiah Balasegaran alias Balraj.

Theepan’s communications code name was “Tango Papa.” He is married to an ex-Tiger woman fighter. They have no children.

Top four gone

Along with Theepan, the top four woman fighter commanders have also been killed; Vidhusha, special commander of Maalathy regiment, her deputy and Maalathy regimental commander Kamalini, Durga, special commander of Sothia regiment and her deputy cum commander Mohanaa have all been killed.

An unconfirmed report states that women’s wing political commissar Thamilini has also been killed.

Among other senior Tigers killed were the special commander and commander of the Jeyanthan infantry brigade, Keerthi and Nagesh. The Jeyanthan brigade is raised from Eastern Province cadres.

Manickapodi Maheswaran alias Keerthi is a native of Arasaditheevu in Batticaloa District and served as intelligence chief for the east earlier.

Selvaratnam Sundaram alias Nagesh is a native of Periyaporatheevu and has served as district military commander earlier.

Both remained loyal to Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and despite being eastern sons of the soil opted to fight against Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna after he revolted against the leadership citing northern hegemony.

Huge loss

Another huge loss is that of Gaddafi also known as Viduthalai and Amuthan. This native of Kotraavathai in Vathiri, Vadamaratchy was at one time a bodyguard of LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. When Prabhakaran delivered his famous speech at Suthumalai after the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed, Gaddafi was one of the two bodyguards standing behind the Tiger chief.

Gaddafi was later a commander of the Imran-Pandian regiment. He was in charge of an RPG unit at one time. Gaddafi was one of a ten-member squad trained by the Indian government in firing anti-aircraft missiles.

Later when the LTTE acquired some SAM – 7 missiles in the ’90s, Gaddafi became the ‘specialist’ in firing them. Gaddafi has brought down several aircraft of the Sri Lanka Air Force through his shoulder-fired missiles.

He was also a weapons expert and spent some months in Europe undergoing special training. He was last in charge of the Tiger training academy for special forces.

The LTTE’s elite special forces division is named after former Tiger leader Harichandra alias Radha. This force was led by Silambarasan. He was killed. The deputy commander of the Radha regiment was Anbu. He was seriously injured and captured alive.

Likewise Asmi the leader of “Ponnamman” mining unit was also seriously injured and captured alive. The fate of these two is unknown. The leader of “Kittu” artillery unit, Manivannan and chief of “Kutty Sri” mortar unit Gopal were also killed.

An unconfirmed report states that S. Thangan, the deputy political commissar and administrative officer under S.P. Thamilselvan is also no more. Seralaathan who was in charge of the Tiger TV Nitharsanam was also killed.

Top rung

Among other senior Tigers killed who have been identified are Ruben, Panjan, Nehru, Anton, Maankuyil, Amudha, Iniyawan, Aadithyan and Chitrangan. A senior Sea Tiger Mahindan has also been killed.

All these top Tigers were killed in the first week of April. But the military hostilities leading to their death commenced on March 30. Another two senior Tiger leaders were killed on March 31. They were Gopith of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade, special commander and Amuthaab, the commander of Charles Anthony brigade.

There is much bewilderment about how so many top Tigers could get killed in a single battle and why so many top commanders got caught up in a single location. To understand what had happened a brief re-run of preceding events is necessary.

The LTTE has been suffering a series of military setbacks in the recent past. It has been a case of the army advancing and Tigers retreating because the security forces enjoy an overwhelming superiority over the LTTE in terms of manpower, firepower, airpower and armour power.

Confined

The military juggernaut has rolled forward relentlessly and the Tigers are currently confined to a small littoral strip of territory located between the A-35 highway (Paranthan – Mullaithivu road) Nanthikadal and Chalai lagoons on one side and the Indian ocean on the other.

Soldiers numbering more than 50,000 from five divisions and three task forces have besieged the LTTE. The Tigers have been trying desperately to break out of this encirclement and drive the forces back.

The LTTE registered minor success in late March when it launched a counter-strike led by senior commanders Sornam and Lawrence. The LTTE pushed the soldiers back by about 600 – 700 metres from their forward defence line positions and then proceeded to the north for about 8 km.

The soldiers however rallied and fought back. They managed to beat the Tigers back and regained original positions. Both Sornam and Lawrence sustained injuries. Also, Prabhakaran’s eldest son Charles Anthony also received minor injuries on his back and shoulder.

Against this backdrop the LTTE planned to launch a massive counter-offensive against the armed forces. The idea was to conduct a meticulously planned operation that would deliver a crippling blow to the security forces.

Holed up

Apparently the Tiger leaders were holed up in Aanandapuram along the Puthukkudiyiruppu-Iranappaalai-Puthumaathalan road busily planning a major counter-attack on the armed forces.

The road to Iranappaalai proceeds eastwards from the Puthukkudiyiruppu junction on the A-35 highway. Another road starts out from Iranappaalai east to Puthu (New) maathalan along the coast. There is another minor junction on this road at Pachaipullumottai from where a small road goes to Palam(Old)maathalan.

Anandapuram and Iranappaalai are part of the Puthukkudiyiruppu AGA division. Other areas belong to the Karaithuraipatru AGA division.

More than a thousand Tiger cadres converged at Aanandapuram to prepare and launch a well planned counter-attack. The defences in and around the Puthukkudiyiruppu-Iranaippaalai-Puthumaathalan road was in the hands of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade.

What happened however was that the Army’s 58 Division commanded by Brig. Shavendra Silva, 53 Division led by Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and Task Force 8 led by Col. G.V. Ravipriya mounted a successful military operation on March 30th that yielded quick results.

The 58 Division proceeding south by south-east from northern Puthukkudiyiruppu and the 53 and TF 8 proceeding north by north-east from southern Puthukkudiyiruppu advanced rapidly and linked up at Pachaipullumottai junction along the Puthukkudiyiruppu road behind LTTE positions.

Heavy fighting

There was very heavy fighting at Pachaipullumottai where Tiger resistance was spearheaded by the special commander Gopith and commander Amuthaab of the Charles Anthony infantry. On March 31st both Gopith and Amuthaab were reported killed.

The Aanandapuram debacle was preceded by this incident which proved to be a major loss to the LTTE. The loss of these fighters who always led from the front has had a demoralising effect on cadres.

This loss of morale is attributed to be the cause of weakened Tiger defences which in turn led to rapid breaching, linking and encircling by the armed forces.

The LTTE cadres in Aanandapuram who were engaged in preparing for the major assault were suddenly and unexpectedly marooned on land.

Realising that top Tigers were stranded in Aanandapuram and suspecting that Prabhakaran himself may be there the army moved swiftly and encircled Tiger positions. A siege was in progress.

Prabhakaran was not there as he had left the place on March 26. But the other important Tigers were ensnared. The 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th and 20th Gajabahu battalions, 5th Vijayabahu, 9th Gemunu Watch, 11th and 20th SL Light Infantry along with one special forces and two commando units got into action.

Trapped

Meanwhile a footpath from Ambalavanpokkanai to Pachaipullumottai used as an emergency supply route by the LTTE was also interdicted. Thus more than a thousand Tiger cadres and leaders were trapped and encircled in a 2 sq km area consisting mainly of coconut plantations and palmyrah groves.

In a desperate bid to break the siege Sea Tiger special commander Soosai sent a contingent by sea to aid his beleaguered comrades at arms. These boats began sailing from Valainjarmadam and hoped to beach near Pattiaddy and fight their way through.

This did not materialise as the navy maintaining strict vigil engaged the flotilla and beat back the Sea Tigers, thus preventing the boats from landing.

The Tigers also sent 120 cadres as reinforcements under Lawrence who was already injured. The army using lethal incendiary devices, scorched and destroyed two buses and a truck.

Most occupants in the three vehicles were killed and the vehicles virtually reduced to cinders. A few survivors escaped along with the other cadres in the two remaining vehicles of the convoy. Lawrence also returned to safety. Eventually on April 3 a sizable number of cadres led by “Col” Bhanu succeeded in penetrating the cordon and escaping to safety. Bhanu himself was injured in the process.

Refused to leave

Theepan the de facto deputy military commander of the LTTE had an opportunity to escape along with Bhanu. Apparently Theepan was injured twice on both April 1 and 2.

Bhanu who goes a long way back with Theepan wanted to carry Theepan with him, but the fighter known for leading from the front refused.

He said that he won’t desert or abandon his fighter cadres and seek safety. “If I come out I’ll come with the cadres. Otherwise I’ll die with them,” he told Bhanu and later informed Pottu Amman.

The military intercepting this were amazed at Theepan’s sense of loyalty to his cadres and his readiness to die willingly. Theepan’s conduct came in for praise among several officers from the army’s upper echelons.

Another intercept was an exchange between intelligence chief Pottu Amman and woman Tiger leader Vidusha. She was heard pleading for reinforcements and supplies urgently. A thoroughly upset Pottu was virtually choked up saying all his efforts had failed and that they could not penetrate the blockade.

The writing was on the wall for the besieged Tigers. Despite his commitment to cadres, the rest of the Tigers under the overall command of Theepan were not lucky as those who escaped with Bhanu.

Call to surrender

Despite the dangerous situation the Tigers led by Theepan continued to withstand the three day siege. The Tigers were deprived of food, water and medical supplies. Nevertheless the beleaguered Tigers did not wilt.

Appeals were made in Tamil through amplifiers to the Tigers to surrender but the bulk of the Tigers refused to heed the call to surrender.

116 Tigers surrendered to the army at various times. But the others in the courageous tradition of the LTTE fought on against the overwhelming odds preferring to “die on their feet” rather than to “live on their knees.”

From midnight on April 3 the nature of combat changed. Massive aerial bombardment through planes and helicopters was done. Continuous artillery shelling was also done.

It appears that more than 30,000 shells were fired throughout April 4.

It was all over on Sunday, April 5 and the soldiers began gradually recovering LTTE bodies and identifying them.

By Monday around 525 bodies had been recovered and around 60 identified. Many Tigers had died by biting the cyanide capsule and swallowing its contents. By Tuesday a further 100 bodies were found.

Bloated bodies

About 60 of these were recovered in a bloated condition lying in a field. Another 40 bodies were in a charred condition inside two small buildings where the cadres had sought cover.

At least 18 – 20 injured cadres were captured alive. Some of these are top rung Tigers. Three girls were discovered hiding in a makeshift pit, covered by leaves. The army released some pictures of the dead Tigers including Theepan and Vidusha.

Some pictures of dead Tigers laid out in rows were also released. The state of the bodies shown in the pictures were in abysmal condition. This led to much suspicion.

Allegations have been made by pro-Tiger elements in the diaspora that incendiary bombs and chemical weapons including poison gas were used to overcome the LTTE.

Some Indian military analysts however were sceptical of such allegations as the debacle seemed to be a classical example of a successful outflanking manoeuvre. Other informed sources ruled out poison gas but suggested that “white phosphorus bombs” may have been used.

These bombs are not banned from usage on the military front but are strictly prohibited from use against civilians. They are used in “siege conditions” to overcome tenacious fighters who resolutely dig in.

The US in Falluja, Iraq, Russians in Grozny, Chechenya, Israeli’s in Beirut, Lebanon have all been accused of using these incendiary devices.

Not chemical weapons

The US has used them in Korea and Vietnam while Saddam Hussein has done so against the Kurds. These are not classified as chemical weapons.

The pictures displayed of killed Tigers indicate that these ‘White Phosphorus’ bombs referred to as “Will Pete” may have been used. The hasty manner in which the recovered bodies were cremated has also fuelled suspicion.

The defence establishment has flatly denied these charges. The reason for the hasty cremation was the deteriorating condition of the corpses it said. Apart from this development, senior commander Sornam has sustained serious injuries while another leader Lawrence has received minor injuries.

The Aanandapuram debacle also resulted in the LTTE losing many weapons including three 130 mm artillery guns, one 85 mm pounder, five 81 mm mortars, four 12. 7mm anti-aircraft guns and a multi 30 mm pedal gun.

This piece of equipment has proved very lethal in previous rounds of fighting as it can be used both as artillery and an anti-aircraft gun. Four 30 mm barrels were fixed on this and they could be fired simultaneously like a multi-barrel rocket launcher. It can be fired stepping on a pedal.

Turning point

According to military analysts the Aanandapuram debacle appears to be the major turning point in the defiant last stand being put up by the LTTE. The armed forces had been expecting a major counter-offensive from the LTTE for quite a while now.

Had the envisaged counter-offensive occurred as planned the army would have received a tremendous jolt.

Ironically, the tables were turned and the expected offensive was thwarted by the army in a military move amounting to a pre-emptive strike. In the process the LTTE has been dealt a massive setback from which it may never recover.

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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.