Tamil Leader Backs Idea of Autonomy

The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers said he was willing to settle for regional autonomy but also said the group would not renounce violence yet despite the start of peace talks and U.S. demands to do so.

In his annual speech to mark Heroes’ Day, honoring rebels killed in the 19-year conflict, Velupillai Prabhakaran also said, “If our demand for regional self-rule, based on the right to internal self-determination, is rejected, we have no alternative but to secede and form an independent state.”