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WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2009 11
Rebels claim 45 civilians killed after attack on no-fire zone
Battle for oil reserves
Atrocities alleged
Britain has lodged a claim of the Continental Shelf,
to a large swath of South British officials said.
Atlantic seabed around the The claim covers an area of
Falkland Islands, setting the about 1.2 million sq km,
stage for a battle with according to Lindsay
Argentina for control of Parson of Britain’s National
potentially rich oil and gas Oceanography Centre, who
Sri Lankan troops broke “When forces move forward, reserves in the area. helped prepare the filing.
through Tamil Tiger defences civilians have the pathway The dispute over mineral Argentina filed its own
yesterday and the government and are confident to move rights could further embitter claim with the UN commis-
brushed off Western criticism out,” defence spokesman a long-running dispute sion last month which
of civilian deaths as a rebel- Keheliya Rambukwella said. between Britain and encompasses the same
orchestrated bid for a last- More than 116,000 civilians Argentina over sovereignty area claimed by Britain.
minute reprieve. fled in the days after troops of the islands, known as the Argentine Foreign Minister
The rebels, cornered in a broke a rebel barricade, which Malvinas in Spanish, which Jorge Taiana said in a
coastal strip where they have the government said refuted led to war in 1982. statement that Britain’s
held tens of thousands of the LTTE assertion that people Britain filed its claim to an move was “unacceptable
civilians, for a third day had chosen to stay and be part extensive area of seabed and inadmissible”, vowing
accused the military of shell- of its goal of building a separate around the Falkland his government would
ing the no-fire zone, this time nation for the Tamil minority. Islands, South Georgia and formally object to any
killing 45 people. LTTE peace secretariat head the South Sandwich Islands attempt to extend the
Fury, blame and recrimin- Seevaratnam Puleedevan said to the United Nations “illegal occupation” of
ations from both sides have the army had attacked a Commission on the Limits Argentine territory.
flared in the closing days of makeshift hospital, killing at
Asia’s longest modern war, least 45 people.
after the Liberation Tigers of Sri Lanka denied respons-
Voodoo trial is adjourned
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said ibility for the reported attacks,
hundreds of civilians were accusing the rebels of generat- The trial of 11 people Prosecutors allege that
killed in artillery barrages ing “shock and outrage at accused of using a “voodoo between 140 and 150
starting on Sunday. supposed atrocities” by forcing curse” to force up to 150 Nigerian girls helped into the
The allegations are impos- doctors employed by the Nigerian girls into prostitution Netherlands as asylum
sible to verify as the war zone government in the war zone to in Europe has been seekers had disappeared
is sealed off to most outsiders. give out false death tolls. adjourned until later this year, from asylum centres in 2006
The military said soldiers “Giving credence and a Dutch court said. and 2007.
and special forces troops had acceptance to this LTTE- The trial, on charges of About a dozen of the girls
advanced across a narrow inspired piece of ‘news’, would human trafficking and were traced, while the rest
causeway into the south of the wittingly or unwittingly aid membership of a criminal were thought to have been
no-fire zone, leaving the the terrorist organisation to organisation, has already forced into prostitution in Italy,
Tigers surrounded on all sides save itself at the hour of its been suspended once before, Spain and France. Most were
and opening another escape impending demise,” a govern- after its opening day on minors at the time, their ages
route for civilians. ment statement said. CASUALTIES: Thousands are still trapped by heavy fighting March 16. ranging from 16 to 23.
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