July 23, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 19, 1429

COLOMBO, July 22: The Sri Lankan government rejected on Tuesday a unilateral ceasefire declared earlier by Tamil Tiger rebels, saying it was not a genuine move for peace.

The government also said that it would not pursue the matter with peace facilitator Norway unless the rebels laid down arms. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam’s (LTTE) unexpected offer of a ceasefire came amid fears of terrorist attacks during the Saarc summit here.

However, hours after the ceasefire was announced, the army website said the air force fighter jets had carried out raids on LTTE positions in the north.

Areas identified as rebel special operation training centres in Mullativu came under attack on Tuesday morning, defence authorities said, adding that 22 suicide bombers attending the LTTE training session were killed.

The rebel group’s ceasefire was also rejected by Marxist and Nationalist parties which termed it a ploy to regroup and re-strengthen itself after suffering heavy losses in recent fighting.

Anouncing the ceasefire, the LTTE termed it a gesture of goodwill for all Saarc countries.

“As a sign of goodwill, our movement is glad to inform that it will observe a unilateral ceasefire that is devoid of military actions during the period of the Saarc conference from 26th July to 4th August and extend cooperation for the success of the conference,” the rebel group said.

Agencies add: The conflict is now concentrated in the north after the Sri Lankan army, which has vowed to finish off the Tigers this year, drove the rebels from their eastern enclave in 2007.

The civil war has killed more than 70,000 people since it started. The Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in north and east Sri Lanka for minority Tamils since 1983.

Analysts say the military has the upper hand in the latest phase of the longrunning war given superior air power, strength of numbers and swathes of terrain captured in the island’s east. But they still see no clear winner on the horizon.