COLOMBO: Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka in a special statement confirmed the death of the LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran as all Television channels in Sri Lanka aired video footages of the dead body of the guerrilla chieftain.

The body, clad in the striped LTTE militant uniform was shown lying on a makeshift stretcher in a marshy area close to a lagoon in the northern battleground. Although there were no visible injuries, the head was partially covered with a handkerchief indicating that it had suffered serious wounds.

‘A few hours ago on Tuesday morning (19th May), our ground troops confirmed that they have recovered the dead body of the world’s most ruthless terrorist leader. I make this disclosure with responsibility and pleasure as millions of Sri Lankans as well as the Army would be the most delighted at this news,’ the official statement of the Army Commander said.

The identification of the rebel leader found on his person included a metal badge and his identity card issued by the LTTE. The government said that DNA tests were carried out to fully confirm that the body was that of Prabhakaran. Further confirmation was given by the LTTE leader’s former confidante and eastern commander Karuna alias Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, who saw the body, defense officials said. The confirmation came hours after the LTTE claimed that its leader was ‘alive and safe.’

The LTTE’s International Relations Head S. Pathmanathan in a statement said, ‘I wish to inform the Global Tamil community distressed witnessing the final events of the war that our beloved leader Velupillai Pirapaharan is alive and safe. He will continue to lead the quest for dignity and freedom for the Tamil people.’

President Rajapaksa pledges a country of unity

President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday delivering the opening Parliamentary address to announce the end of the war pledged to usher in a political solution for Tamils in a country of unity where ‘there were no minorities and only patriots and non patriots’.
 
Shifting to Tamil in the beginning of his speech he assured the Tamil people that the defeat of the LTTE and the breakdown of their armed strength will never be the defeat of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.

‘Our heroic forces have sacrificed their lives to protect Tamil civilians. Protecting the Tamil speaking people of this country is my responsibility. That is my duty. All the people of this country should live in safety without fear and suspicion. All should live with equal rights. That is my aim,’ he said.

Accusing the LTTE of putting the Tamil community to their ‘lowest position in history’ he declared that those who raised their voices for the protection of the terrorists, and all those who helped the terrorists should now fall at the feet of these Tamil mothers and seek their pardon.  Addressing the Tamil expatriates he said that those who live abroad and supported the terrorists with funds, if they have any love for their own people, should not help terrorism again.

‘The defeat of the LTTE and the breakdown of their armed strength will never be the defeat of the Tamil people of this country. What was the LTTE able to win for the Tamil people from the force of its arms? The complete defeat of the LTTE is an even greater victory for the Tamil people,’ he asserted.

The Tamil people never had faith or trust in weapons, the President said and recalled the response of the Tanil people in the North during the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. 

‘One clause in the Indo-Lanka Accord was that the LTTE should hand over its weapons to the army.  When the LTTE announced to the people of Jaffna that it would be handing over its weapons, they received a resounding cheer and applause from the people. The LTTE was also surprised by this response.  It is, therefore clear that the Tamil people are not a people who like to bear weapons,’ Rajapaksa said.
 
Military solution not final solution

‘At this victorious moment, it is necessary for us to state with great responsibility, that we do not accept a military solution as the final solution,’ the President said.

Indicating that he would consider many proposals from all political parties in Sri Lanka towards a final political solution, Rajapaksa said that he would accept the responsibility for the Tamil people who have been liberated from the clutches of the LTTE.

The President further said that it was time Sri Lankan stopped thinking in terms of majority and minority communities. ‘There were no minorities in Sri Lanka, only patriots, who uphold the interests of the country, and non-patriots who betray the country,’ he said.