International   

Gotabhaya for fresh start on ethnic issue

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has advocated a ban on the LTTE and abrogation of the Norwegian-brokered 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) to enable the government a “fresh start to address Tamil grievances.”

In an interview with the state-owned English paper, Daily News, the Defence Secretary, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the President could then put forth proposals to address the “grievances of Tamils”.

Earlier in the week at a function to mark the third anniversary of the tsunami disaster, the President said it would be futile to engage the Tigers in a dialogue in the quest for resolution of the ethnic conflict.

It is immediately not clear what prompted the Defence Secretary to go public with his views. One possible explanation could be that Sri Lanka is attempting to drive home the point after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto that there should be no compromise with terrorism.

In the run up to the 2005 presidential elections, Mr. Rajapaksa vowed to scrap the CFA and replace Norway as the official facilitator of the peace talks. However, after assuming power he chose to continue with the CFA in the face of pressure from the international community.

The immediate implication of an abrogation would mean a formal declaration of war against the LTTE and removal of Norway. Right now, with hostilities in full swing Norway has virtually no role.

The government had lifted the ban on the LTTE just before the 2002 CFA. Political and diplomatic observers here are of the view that a technical ban would amount to nothing much.

The Defence Secretary told the daily that the CFA had become a joke in the eyes of the people with so many violations. “The Ceasefire Agreement exists only on paper. Obviously we can see that there is no ceasefire. It has become a joke.”

The Defence Secretary along with Generals visited Vavuniya, the battle front in the north, to “review the latest development of the security situation in Wanni.”

Separately, the military claimed to have “advanced further into non-liberated Wanni area, today [Saturday] following hours long artillery duel with LTTE elements in general area Parappakandal at Mannar defences and captured Tiger defences at Parappakandal.

“LTTE terrorists engaged in heavy artillery barrages including 130mm and 122mm guns during its last efforts to hold the defences. 20 terrorists were killed including two LTTE senior cadres,” the Defence Ministry claimed.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Violence abates, yet tension prevails
Gotabhaya for fresh start on ethnic issue
Direct poll in 2017: Tsang
Energy innovation holds out promise
To shred 2007 regrets for new year
Uranium exploration spurred by hunger for cleaner, cheaper energy
Romney opts for a risky strategy
China modifies I-T level

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu