Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asked the beleaguered LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic mainstream as 41 Tamil Tiger rebels and five soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in the island's north. Rajapaksa underlined that there was no military solution to the ethnic problem in the island nation.The president said the rebels should enter the democratic process to ensure political rights for the Tamils in the embattled northern region. "I wish to once again very clearly call on the LTTE to lay down their arms and surrender. They should act in this manner and enter the democratic political process. Our aim should be to ensure the democratic political rights of our Tamil brethren," he said.
The President was addressing the All Party Conference to apprise its members of the current developments with regard to the operations "to eradicate terrorism, establish peace and restore democracy" throughout the country.
"However difficult it may be, it is my belief that the efforts to find political solutions to political issues should be continued. It is my belief that there are no military solutions to political questions," he said.
Contending that the people have elected his government to realise their aims and aspirations, he said "it is our duty to ensure to the Tamil people of the North the same democratic rights as enjoyed by people in all other parts of the country".
He also said that military operations were necessitated in order to "eradicate terrorism" from the country and "enthrone" democracy throughout the land.
In fresh fighting, at least 41 LTTE cadres and five soldiers were killed in running gun battles in Sri Lanka's embattled north, officials said Saturday. While two LTTE cadres were shot dead in Mankulam in Kilinochchi, two others were killed in Akkarayankulam and one in another part of the LTTE stronghold yesterday, the military said.
Separately, troops killed seven Tiger rebels, wounding 37 others in a gun battle in Mullaittivu, while in North East Welioya region six rebels were killed and 14 others injured in Andankulam Friday, the Defence Ministry said. At least one Tiger militant was also killed in Thannikuruppukulam area in the region yesterday, it said.
Meanwhile, two soldiers were also killed during clashes in Andankulam, with the troops recovering 313 anti-personnel mines and 17 improvised explosive devices after the operation.
In another confrontation, as many as 14 Tiger rebels were killed and six others injured in Vannerikulam area in Kilinochchi yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said, adding three soldiers also lost their lives in the incident.