73 ex-LTTE guerrillas released in Lanka

Colombo: The Sri Lankan government on Sunday released 73 rehabilitated former LTTE guerrillas, with just 550 former Tamil Tigers still remaining housed in different camps following the end of the ethnic conflict in 2009.

"This is another batch to be released from the 11,000 ex-members of the LTTE," said A Dissanayake, the Secretary of the Ministry of Rehabilitation.

He said with the release of 73 rehabilitated former LTTE guerrillas in the eastern district of Batticaloa today, there will only be around 550 who are left to be freed. They are currently being housed in four camps.

The rehabilitation process include vocational and language training added with life skills such as information technology.

The rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres are provided self- employment loans at concessionary terms, officials said.

Those who surrendered before the government troops at the last stage of the military offencive in May 2009 are the ones who are subject to rehabilitation.

The LTTE waged a bloody three-decade civil war for a separate state for the Tamils of Sri Lanka, alleging discrimination against the minority community at the hands of the majority Sinhalas.

The Lankan military crushed the rebels in May 2009 and ended the ethnic conflict that killed between 80,000 and 100,000 people.