Hundreds grieve for slain Tamil Tiger leader

Описание: (12 Feb 2005)
1. Various of people at funeral for Tamil Tigers at Thandiadi Heroes Cemetery
2. Various of security
3. Various of women crying, holding on to each other
4. Various of coffins draped in Tamil Tiger flags
5. Various of women crying
6. Security with rifle
7. Top shot of coffin being lifted
8. Various of coffins being carried by soldiers
9. Bodies laid out, draped in flags
10. Wailing women
11. S.P.Thamilchelavan going to podium
12. SOUNDBITE: (Tamil) S.P.Thamilchelavan, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Political wing Leader
+++ROUGH TRANSLATION, FULL TRANSLATION NOT AVAILABLE+++
"Due to the present peace process the war has temporarily stopped, but this unfortunate incident has shaken our people."
13. Wide shot of funeral procession

STORYLINE:

Tamil Tiger rebels warned their patience with Sri Lanka's government was running out, as they buried an insurgent commander and five others who were gunned down earlier this week after overseeing relief to tsunami victims.

E. Kausalyan - the Tigers' political chief in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Ampara - was the most senior Tamil Tiger leader to be killed since the government and rebels signed a cease-fire in 2002.

Kausalyan was killed with five others on Tuesday in an ambush as they travelled back to Batticaloa after overseeing reconstruction efforts in a region hard hit by the December 26 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The guerrillas blamed paramilitary forces backed by the government for the ambush, saying the attackers wore military uniforms.

They warned the killings could disrupt post-tsunami reconstruction and peace talks.

The government has denied involvement and condemned the killings.

Thousands of mourners attended their funeral on Thursday in Thandiadi.

Dozens of security forces patrolled the streets.

The Tamil Tigers began fighting in 1983 for a separate homeland for ethnic Tamils in the north and east of the country, claiming discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

The conflict killed nearly 65,000 people before the 2002 cease-fire, which has largely held despite sporadic violations and the breakdown in peace talks in 2003.

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