Govt blames LTTE for massacre of 11 Muslims

Colombo, Sep 18: The Sri Lankan government today blamed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for hacking 11 Muslim workers to death in the restive Eastern Amparai district this morning.

The government in a statement charged the LTTE with massacring 11 Muslim civilians who had gone to repair an anicut in Raddella, about four km from the Rasaweli Special Task Force camp.

''When some villagers went to the site in search of the workers, they found dead bodies of 11 people and one was injured. This act by the Tiger terrorists indicate that not only are they out to obstruct and sabotage the reconstruction or repairing of infrastructure which will help the poor farmers but are also prepared to massacre those are engaged in any humanitarian work'', Media Center for National Security said in the statement.

However, the rebel tigers have denied their hand in the attack and have counter-charged the military.

''The LTTE condemns the massacre of 11 Muslim workers near the Yala National Park. It notes that this is a Sri Lankan government controlled area and a military camp is stationed near the location of the massacre. The military is adopting its long tradition of blaming us for the atrocities it commits," the statement from the LTTE peace secretariat said.

Meanwhile, a report fron the Muslim Information Center said the massacre has taken place in a ''predominantly Sinhalese area''.

''You can't simply point at the LTTE for this massacre. Anyhow, we are waiting to confirm the assassins. We have no other option apart from demanding an independent international inquiry to trace the culprits,'' the Muslim Information Center quoted a senior community leader of Pottuvil as saying.

The incident come just days after the government and rebels agreed to meet for talks to halt violence that has killed hundreds of people since late July.

UNI

Related Stories

In Focus: Sri Lanka Crisis