The Ceylon News

Former LTTE rebels, who split from the Tamil Tigers in late 2004, surrendered arms on Saturday at a public function in Sri Lanka's eastern Batticaloa province.

The former Tiger rebels, who formed Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) party, surrendered their arms through the party's Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan in the presence of its senior leaders.

"The LTTE has been dismantled militarily by the security forces and that is why the TMVP has decided to give up the limited number of weapons it held and that too for its personal security," senior Cabinet Minister and government Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told media on Friday.

Rambukwella said the former Tiger cadres who broke away from the LTTE had carried arms to defend themselves from the rebels.

"The laying down of arms indicates that the former Tigers believe the LTTE is no longer a threat to their lives," he said.

The weapons were handed over to the Army Eastern Commander at a public function at Weber Stadium. The arms included 56 T-56 guns, one T-81 gun, 40 RPG shells and 6,700 rounds of ammunitions, according to reports.

The TMVP has been accused by the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other NGOs of recruiting children and engaging in extortion in its war against the LTTE in the past.

Fierce clashes in Sri Lanka's embattled northeast killed at least 47 LTTE guerrillas as the government stepped up attack to dislodge the cornered rebels from its last stronghold in the Mullaittivu battlefront, the army said on Saturday.

The army has won a string of major victories over the guerrillas in recent weeks, as it prepared to inflict a "decisive blow" to the guerrillas.

LTTE fighters, who are now confined to a mere 45 sq.km land stretch, are making desperate efforts to prolong its “imminent defeat”, the Lankan defence ministry said.

"The LTTE end game is reaching its final phase," the ministry said in a statement.

At least 47 LTTE cadres were killed and several others injured during separate confrontations between troops and LTTE in general area at Palamattalam, Tamarakulam and Puthukkudiyirippu at the Mullaittivu battlefront, the army said.

Troops linked to Task Force - 8 and 58 Division, which forged into the remaining LTTE territory, inflicted heavy damages to Tamil Tiger rebels and recovered 15 LTTE bodies and a cache of military hardware in Mullaittivu, it said.

In general area South of Palamattalam, the army made swift advances, killing 11 rebels and injuring a dozen others, the ministry quoted security sources as saying. Troops of operating in general area Tamaralankulam uncovered 14 LTTE bodies. During subsequent search operations, troops recovered the body of a guerrilla along a huge cache of arms, the army said.

Meanwhile, a total of 213 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arrived at the army-held areas during the last two days, the military said.

“The exodus of 77 men 70 women, 37 boys and 29 girls reached the troops in the general areas of Munai in Jaffna besides Kokuvil, Chundikulam, Nalliyathannikeduval and Kevil in Mullaittivu, the army said.

Fighting, which has escalated in the past two years, further flared after the government in January 2008 pulled out of the 2002 cease-fire pact with the rebels.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for the minority ethnic Tamils, alleging marginalisation of the community for decades by governments dominated by the Sinhalese. Over 70,000 people have been killed in the civil war in the Island nation.