Tamil refugees shelled as army closes in
[The Sunday Times] MORE than 250,000 terrified Tamil men, women and children were trapped between rebel Tamil forces and the army in no man’s land in northern Sri Lanka last night as the 25-year civil war appeared to be nearing a violent conclusion. A 48-hour ceasefire was due to end after the government promised to…
Read More50,000 in London Tamil protest demanding ceasefire
[AFP] More than 50,000 demonstrators marched through London in a Tamil rally on Saturday demanding an end to the fighting in Sri Lanka. ADVERTISEMENT “More than 50,000 were at the demonstration,” a spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police said. “There has been one arrest for possession of an offensive weapon.” The spokesman said the protest was…
Read MoreUN urges safety of civilians as Sri Lanka presses for victory
[AFP] Red Cross officials were negotiating Saturday to evacuate more wounded from the conflict zone in Sri Lanka’s embattled north as the island’s military kept up its push to crush Tamil separatist rebels. “We are negotiating with both parties (the government and the rebels) to the conflict to ensure safe passage for many more patients…
Read MoreThousands protest Tamil ‘genocide’
[Toronto Star] Sharannya Mohan looked back and forth on Front St. As far as she could see, Tamils stood shoulder to shoulder denouncing what they call genocide in Sri Lanka. “We can’t all be terrorists,” the 21-year-old York University student said with a twisted smile. Thousands of Tamils from across greater Toronto, a crowd estimated…
Read MoreFear and defiance in Sri Lanka
[BBC] As Sri Lanka’s military takes control of key territory held by the Tamil Tiger rebels, Chris Morris in Colombo reports on a deepening mood of determination and defiance on both sides of the conflict. Getting through to the Tamil Tigers isn’t easy these days. Their world is getting smaller. Surreptitious messages. Crackling phone lines.…
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