News: white flag

05/14/2011 | Sydney Morning Herald
BEATEN, bloodied and with nowhere left to run, they received the text message just before 9 o'clock on the Sunday morning. It came, through an intermediary, from the foreign secretary of the Sri Lankan government, apparent instructions for a surrender: "Just walk across to the troops, slowly. With a white flag and comply with instructions carefully. The soldiers are nervous about suicide bombers."