The World - News from April 12, 1989

The largest Tamil militant group in Sri Lanka rejected a one-week cease-fire offered by President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who sought to end six years of ethnic violence that has claimed 12,500 lives. “The government is only interested in getting our weapons and has not put forward anything worthwhile,” said a leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Foreign Minister Ranjan Wijeratne had told reporters Monday that during the truce, the rebels should give themselves up at 228 centers across the country. Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka launched a campaign in 1983 for an independent homeland, citing discrimination by the Sinhalese in employment and education.