Major General Perera is credited with some of the army’s biggest victories over the Tigers, including a 1996 battle in which allegedly 200 LTTE cadres were killed with the loss of just one soldier. The Tamil community accused him of being responsible for hundreds of deaths and the torture of Tamils in the region during the period. Amnesty International raised similar concerns.

Sources
Suicide blast hits Sri Lanka town, BBC, 6 October 2008; Sri Lanka suicide blast kills 27 including former military chief, Times, 6 October 2008.

Related events
6 April 2008
6 June 2008
26 May 2008

Sources
Tigers bomb Sri Lanka commuter bus, 21 killed: officials, AFP, 6 June 2008; Bus blast kills 21 in Sri Lankan capital, Associated Press, 6 June 2008.

Related events
26 May 2008
23 May 2008
16 May 2008
20 April 2008
1 April 2008

Quotations

“It’s definitely by the LTTE, with the recent losses and battlefield defeats they are desperate.” Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, military spokesman.

Sources
Sri Lanka bus bomb kills at least 25, Reuters, 25 April 2008.

Related event
16 January 2008

Sources
Blast kills Sri Lankan Minister, BBC, 6 April 2008; Suicide blast kills Sri Lanka minister, Tigers blamed, Reuters, 6 April 2008.

Quotations

“Minister Fernandopulle belonged to both a religious and ethnic minority and could have played a greater role in rebuilding relations between the ethnic communities and the warring parties. Instead he was a proponent of the government’s strategy of military confrontation with the LTTE which claimed his life. At the same time he assisted civil society groups such as ours when it fell within his domain of authority despite our critical stances. Minister Fernandopulle was one of the government’s key speakers, and his absence will be felt at the forthcoming Eastern Provincial elections where he would have played an important role. We urge the government to ensure that all high risk candidates at these elections, icluding leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Rauf Hakeem whose security is being sought to be reduced, should be provided with additional security.” Path of violence and war is too costly, Press release, National Peace Council, 8 April 2008.

“This is most likely the work of the LTTE. It follows closely on the Fort Railway Station bombing, in which also several young schoolboy sportsmen from D S Senanayake College were killed. The massacre of the innocents anywhere, benefits no just cause and has no place whatsoever in any agenda for dignity and peace for Sri Lankans. Such provocative acts of violence spread fear, suspicion and anger. They further widen the gap between our communities and further reduce whatever chances may have existed for peace conversations.” Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo, 7 April 2008.

“Amnesty International condemns the suicide bomb attack of 6 April 2008 in Gampaha district, Weliveriya, near Colombo. … The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has been blamed for the bomb attack that targeted a local sports event. Amnesty International reiterates that attacks targeting civilians and indiscriminate attacks violate international humanitarian law which binds all sides to the conflict and constitute war crimes.” Sri Lanka: Mounting Civilian Casualties as Conflict Persists, Public Statement, Amnesty International, 9 April 2008.

Related events
6 March 2008
8 January 2008
1 January 2008
10 November 2006
25 December 2005
12 August 2005

Sources
Most Sri Lankan bus ambush victims were shot, Reuters 17 January 2008; Bloody End to Sri Lanka ceasefire, Reuters, 17 January 2008

Sources
Sri Lankan minister killed by bomb, The Guardian, 8 January 2008; Sri Lankan minister dies in blast, BBC news, 8 January 2008

On the same day, a bomb exploded near the entrance to a popular department store in a Nugegoda, a busy suburb of Colombo. At least 21 people were reported killed and over 40 injured by the blast, blamed by the Sri Lankan military on the Tamil Tigers.

In July, the LTTE celebrated 20 years of suicide bombings.

Sources
Colombo suicide bomber on videotape, The Hindu,  2 December 2007; Minister targeted in Sri Lanka suicide attack, The Guardian,  28 November 2007;  Government minister escapes suicide attack in Sri Lanka, International Herald Tribune, 28 November 2007; LTTE admits using 61 suicide bombers last year, The Hindu, 5 July 2007; LTTE staged 49 suicide attacks since July 2006, Hindustan Times, 5 July 2007; Sources
Security clampdown in Sri Lanka capital after deadly blasts: police, AFP, 28 November 2007; Twin blasts kill 17 in Sri Lanka, rebels blamed, Reuters, 28 November 2008; TNA condemns Colombo blasts, BBC Sinhala, 28 November 2007.

Quotations

“I was just about 25 to 30 feet from the suicide bomber and I am used to such attempts being made on me,” Douglas Devananda, Social Welfare Minister.

“Both attacks were by the LTTE.” Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.

“I myself would have been caught had I was there at the time of the blast…As a politician I can’t say straight away who carried out the attacks. I strongly condemn them whoever did it.” Chandrakanth Chandranehru,Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian.

“The LTTE must stop any direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians. They are forbidden under international humanitarian law and are never acceptable.” Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General.

“The callous attacks have no political justification and serve only to add to the suffering and grief of ordinary Sri Lankans.” European Union statement.

Related events

The military reports that 9 servicemen were killed inside the base and 20 others were wounded in the attack, while four crew aboard a helicopter gunship were killed when it crash-landed.

Sources
Sri Lanka Tiger rebel planes bomb airforce base, Reuters, 22 October 2007; Probe into Lanka air base attack, BBC, 23 October 2007.

Quotations

“We have found 20 bodies of LTTE cadres inside the base and we are doing a search operation to see if there are any more. This will not deviate us from the fight against terrorism”. Keheliya Rambukwella, Defence spokesman

“It was a combined operation of our air force and land troops and the target was the Anuradhapura air base, which functions as the logistics (base for the north),”We have not ruled out the potential of more similar attacks in the future. It is the biggest operation of the Black Tigers since 1987. We damaged eight of their aircraft at the base”. Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan, LTTE military spokesman.

Source
Lanka president attacks ‘cowards’, BBC, 17 July 2007.

Sources
Second bus bomb kills 11, BBC Sinhala, 6 January 2007; "Tigers inciting backlash", The Hindu, 8 January 2007.

Sources
Port hit in Sri Lankan tourist city, BBC, 18 October 2006; Sri Lanka navy base attacked, sparks anti-Tamil riot, Reuters, 18 October 2006.