Disillusioned over LTTE leadership:

Over 10,000 ex-terrorists under Govt care

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

From the day the Wanni battle took a fierce turn over 10,000 LTTE terrorists surrendered to the military, according to top military officials.

The continuous defeats of the LTTE had made its cadres to abandon the outfit in large numbers. Over 7,237 terrorists who had surrendered to the military are now being rehabilitated at various rehabilitation centres. Among them are 1,601 females.

Another batch of 202 terrorists including 80 males are living in IDP camps. According to officials, they were identified by the military and separated from the refugees in the welfare camps. “They surrendered to the troops when the military offensives got tough. The 202 terrorists including females are well trained LTTE terrorists”, they said. The officials said over 2,379 LTTE terrorists were identified by the military. Among them are terrorists who volunteered to surrender to the troops.

Over 2,065 males said that they surrendered to the troops at the Forward Defence Lines as they were disillusioned with their leadership. They had sensed the historic defeat and realised that the LTTE cadres had to fight to protect the life of the LTTE leader and not for Eelam. The terrorists who surrendered are provided with facilities and most of them have been sent to rehabilitation camps.

Over 271,967 refugees have sought protection under the Government. The majority of them who had been kept by the late LTTE leader as hostages fled the No Fire Zone in Puthumathalan despite the terrorists’ tough warnings from April 20-22.

Having successfully concluded the world’s biggest hostage rescue operation, the military saved the lives of over 180,000 people without firing a single round of bullets.

The IDPs are being facilitated in Government welfare centres in 29 locations, including Government schools.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Sri Lanka Army said that over 6,000 soldiers had sacrificed their lives and over 30,000 were injured.

According to sources, the LTTE suffered a loss of over 22,000 terrorists.