Sri Lanka’s Tigers issue deadline to resume war for independence

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday set a year-end deadline for the new government to come up with a "reasonable" political settlement or risk a war that could break up the island.







Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday set a year-end deadline for the new government to come up with a "reasonable" political settlement or risk a war that could break up the island. Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in his much-awaited annual policy statement said hard-line President Mahinda Rajapakse should put forward a "reasonable political framework" before next year.

"This is our urgent and final appeal," Prabhakaran said in a speech broadcast over the rebel Voice of Tigers radio.

"If the new government rejects our urgent appeal, we will, next year...

establish self-government in our homeland."

His remarks were awaited by Colombo and diplomats close to the island's Norwegian-backed peace initiative aimed at ending three decades of ethnic bloodshed that has left more than 60,000 people dead.

Prabhakaran did not directly respond to a call by new President Mahinda Rajapakse for a fresh peace process and "revision" of the tenuous truce in place since 2002.

The guer