Sri Lanka Looses 12,000 Troopers in 3 Years of Rajapaksa's Rule - UNP MP

Colombo - The United National Party, Member of Parliament (MP) Palitha Range Bandara says at least twelve thousand Sri Lankan troopers lost their lives fighting with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north and east of Sri Lanka for the past three years.

Range Bandara also said, at least similar or more number of troopers were injured and removed from theater of war in the last three years of intense fighting in the north and east of Sri Lanka while, at least 8,000 young women have become widowed, as most of these dead are between 19 and 27 years of age, according to a news report in Colombo.

Palitha Range Bandara said, "This government is waging war to suit its political agenda, and not in accordance with military strategies to minimize casualties among our heroic soldiers."

"The Heroes Day speech by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran reaffirmed the UNP had no dealings with the LTTE and the ceasefire agreement of our government has sent the LTTE reeling militarily, while the government had become strong, both militarily and economically," said Mr. Range Bandara.

Speaking further, he said, "The government boasts that it had entirely liberated Eastern Province, but the LTTE has staged 13 Heroes Day ceremonies in Batticaloa and Ampara. In other areas of the East, Heroes Day functions have taken place at six locations."

The Sri Lankan Army Commander Sarath Fonseka told a Canadian news paper that, "I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people….. We being the majority of the country, 75%, we will never give in and we have the right to protect this country … They can live in this country with us. But they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things." (National Post of September 23). Notable also was the following, "In any democratic country the majority should rule the country.

Sri Lankan army commander also recently said, 80% war is over with the LTTE. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary boasted that at least 6000 bombing sorties into Vanni within last two years and still continuing with unloading 1000 kg lethal ammunitions in Vanni in each bombing sortie.

Sri Lanka, continue to press ahead with the relentless war and lost of staggering number of young soldiers from poor south with LTTE believing the end of the war is nearing soon, an observer told TNS in Colombo.