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In an unprecedented show of strength the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) paraded the terrorist group’s strongest weapon against unheeding governments, the Suicide Bombers during a celebration to honor their fallen fighters and the 48th birthday of their leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. The first time parade of their black clad suicide bombers with masked faces came just one day after the deputy secretary of State of the United States, Richard Armitage publicly appealed to them to shun violence and terrorism at an international conference, in which a senior LTTE leader Anton Balasingham was present. The conference was held in Oslo, Norway, the country that is backing a peace process in Sri Lanka between the rebels and the Colombo government, Monday November 25, one day before the suicide bombers were paraded. Armitage said in his appeal on behalf of the US government, “We urge the LTTE to go one step further…(and commit to a) thorough renunciation of terrorism and violence.” The United States has listed the LTTE as a foreign terrorist group along with Al Queda and many others. But Anton Balasingham at the end of the day press conference rejected the US appeal and declared it was totally unacceptable for Washington to label them terrorists. Analysts indicated that the terrorist group paraded their suicide bombers for the first time in history in defiance of the US appeal. The suicide bombers known as “Black Tigers” allegedly killed a president of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa, a former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi , and partially blinded the current President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga in a failed attempt on her life. They have also allegedly killed scores of Tamil leaders and other politicians and used the suicide bombers in large-scale mass killings like the bombing of the Central Bank of Sri lanka in which nearly hundred civilians were massacred. Anton Balasingham insisted that the violence would automatically end ‘when the aspirations’ of his people were met. Their aspirations had been variedly described as a separate state or independent homeland for the Tamils. Disagreeing with the US definition of terrorism Balasingham said, “The American version ….of the armed struggle as a manifestation of pure violence and terrorism is totally unacceptable.” The liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has been credited for pioneering the modern art of suicide bombing and according to intelligence reports their advise on many aspects of the new art of terrorism has been sought by many middle Eastern terrorist groups. It has been claimed that their expertise in manufacturing suicide jackets and belts laden with plastic explosives have been highly valued by other terrorist groups. According to statistics issued by the LTTE about 240 Tamil terrorists have committed suicide on many occasions destroying targets. Reports said, the Suicide Bombers participated at the “Heroes Day” celebrations held at Mardankerni junction at Vadamarachchi and Thalayadi Esplanade in Northern province. Under concessions granted by the administration of Ranil Wickremesinghe the Hero’s Day celebration was also held this year for the first time in areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces under the control of the Sri Lanka government. Reports said, 400 photographs were exhibited of the fallen fighters of the LTTE at the Mahajana College in Batticaloa, a school where Prabhakaran received his early education. The LTTE cemetery in Kopai and Hindu Cultural hall in Trincomalee are other places in government-controlled areas the LTTE celebrations to commemorate the 17,000 LTTE fighters dead were held. In celebrations in government controlled areas the Tamil Tigers hoisted the national flag of the putative state of Eelam, the leaping ferocious Tiger. (EOM) (27/11/02 go2lanka.com) |