Rebels blame Sri Lanka navy for sea battle

Medical staff examine journalist Colvin in Colombo's eye hospital

In this story: 'Injuries not life-threatening' Peace hopes were running high RELATED STORIES, SITES

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have blamed the country's navy for provoking a fierce sea battle that shattered a holiday truce.

The government said earlier the rebels had fired the first shots in Monday's pre-dawn battle pitting a rebel supply convoy against navy gunboats off Sri Lanka's northeastern coast.

Two rebels were killed and seven sailors wounded in the battle that raged for two hours despite the ceasefires.

"Voice of Tigers radio said the fighting erupted when Sri Lanka Navy crafts engaged Sea Tiger boats off the coast of Mullaitivu," said a statement on a pro-rebel website (www.tamilnet.com).

An American journalist was among the injured in a skirmish just before the government ceasefire expired on Tuesday morning.

Marie Colvin, working for London's Sunday Times, was hit by shrapnel in her head, chest and arms.

'Injuries not life-threatening'

A U.S. diplomat said the 44-year-old journalist is out of danger.

"I have been to see her and have been told by the doctors that her injuries are not life-threatening," said Stephen Holgate of the U.S. embassy in Colombo.

According to a government statement, which did not name Colvin, an injured "foreign woman" was air-lifted to hospital and was now being treated in Colombo for an injury to her left eye.

It added that the injured woman had not obtained permission to enter the huge swath of rebel-held territory in the country's north.

Even local journalists are rarely allowed inside the war-zone, except on military-guided tours and permission to cross the lines is hardly ever granted.

The military has accused the rebels, who are fighting for a separate minority Tamil state in the country's north and east, of provoking this confrontation as well.

It accused the rebels of starting the confrontation when they stumbled upon an army post in the Vavuniya district, the northern half of which is controlled by guerrillas who are fighting for a separate minority Tamil state in the country's north and east.

"...terrorists had opened fire and thrown grenades at the (army) listening post. Troops retaliated with small arms and grenades," the statement said.

There was no immediate comment from the rebels.

Peace hopes were running high

The government ceasefire, which began five days ago to mark last week's Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, expired at 6 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Tuesday.

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) declared a unilateral ceasefire four months ago to push forward a Norwegian-brokered initiative to end the 18-year conflict that has killed an estimated 64,000 people.

The military often accuses the guerrillas of violating their truce, but peace hopes have been running high since the government said it would announce a date for talks before the end of the month.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Sea battle shatters Sri Lanka truce
April 16, 2001
Four day truce in Sri Lanka
April 13, 2001
Sri Lanka to offer truce to rebels
April 10, 2001

Sri Lanka Government
TamilNet

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