By IANS,
Colombo : Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran Thursday vowed to continue his war against Sri Lanka “till alien Sinhala occupation of our land is removed” and urged India to lift the ban on his group.
Making his annual speech from an undisclosed location, the elusive rebel leader, who turned 54 Wednesday, also said that his Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) never saw India as an enemy.
“Whatever challenges confront us, whatever contingencies we encounter, whatever forces stand on our path, we will still continue with our struggle for the freedom of the Tamil people. On the path shown by history, on the command of the circumstances of today, we will continue with our struggle till alien Sinhala occupation of our land is removed,” Prabhakaran said.
He said at no stage the LTTE had considered “India as an enemy force” and said the Tamil people hoped “the Indian superpower will take a positive stand on our national question.
“I would cordially request them to raise their voice firmly in favour of our struggle for a Tamil Eelam state, and to take appropriate and positive measures to remove the ban which remains an impediment to an amicable relationship between India and our movement,” he said.
He also expressed his “love and gratitude at this juncture to the people and leaders of Tamil Nadu and the leaders of India for the voice of support and love they have extended (to the Tamil people)”.