This is first hand footage of a suicide bombing in Sri Lanka. No one has claimed responsibility yet, but the Sri Lankan government was quick to blame the Tamil Tigers. At least one government minister was hurt during the bombing, which took place during a religious ceremony.

Photo by Nelson Minar, under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License

SRI LANKA: After beating the Tigers back to about 98% of the territory they occupied a year ago, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake offered amnesty to low ranking soldiers who will turn themselves in.

There are reports that groups of people who took part in terrorist activities in the north are ready to give themselves up. It is a wise decision and we are ready to welcome them.

The PM didn’t mention anything about the conditions of the amnesty, nor did he extend the offer to the Tiger Leadership, who he said “must be tried and hanged”

This conflict has been ugly since the 1970s, and there’s still no independent Tamil state. But at the same time, the Tigers are still fighting. Like the PM said, surrender is probably the wise decision, but I think it’s unlikely.

Article from Mail and Guardian: Sri Lanka offers amnesty to Tamil Tigers