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An anti-peace pact: LTTE

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JAN. 21. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam today criticised the newly formed alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) as "an anti-peace pact'' that may "create the objective conditions for the resumption of ethnic war".

Rejecting the alliance's position that it would talk to the LTTE and "other relevant groups and communities," the LTTE's chief negotiator, Anton S. Balasingham, said the rebel group "will not enter into negotiations with anyone who does not recognise the LTTE as the sole and authentic representatives of the Tamil people". The MoU signed yesterday by the SLFP and JVP, which formalised the creation of the United People's Freedom Alliance, "fails to produce any concrete, realistic formula for a negotiated settlement of the Tamil national question.''

He said the articulation of "an incoherent, confused and mutually contradictory position on a serious national issue might create objective conditions for the resumption of ethnic war". Military observers see the international safety net put in place by the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, coupled with the LTTE's move towards occupying a political space as possible deterrents to a resumption of war.

Maintaining a belligerent note, the LTTE's special commander for two eastern districts, T. Ramesh, told a Tamil Resurgence (Pongu Tamil) warned of "grave consequences'' if war "was thrust'' on the LTTE. The international community "should understand that Tamils and Tigers are inseparable'', Mr. Ramesh said. The rally was attended by Ministers and MPs.

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