Sri Lankan Army working to derail peace process

The SLA forces working to derail the peace process.

"The ceasefire now in operation has become a question mark because of the complicity and collusion of a section of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) with paramilitaries in attacking unarmed LTTE cadres doing political work in army controlled areas," said Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head Monday evening at the meeting held in Trincomalee esplanade to pay last respects to LTTE cadres killed in the Sunday Chelvanayakapuram attack, sources said.

The sri lanka authority has a duty according to the ceasefire agreement to provide security to unarmed LTTE political cadres who are engaged in political activities in the army-controlled areas. The sri lanka authority has failed in its obligation to provide such security, said Mr.Elilan.

Mr.Elilan said, "We are ready for[ Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ] war if it is thrusted on us against our commitment to find a permanent political solution to the Tamil nation question."

Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader said the sri lanka is not showing any interest to safeguard the present peace environment. A section in the forces is working hard to derail the peace process.

The potential to cause irretrievable damage to the ceasefire agreement.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Sunday condemned the Chelvanayakapuram killings and said that the motive of the attack is the disruption of the ceasefire agreement. "The sri lanka authority cannot be unmindful of its obligation to take the maximum possible measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur. It is necessary for the Government to take steps to erase the impression of collusion or complicity in such attacks," said in the press release signed by Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader.

The full text of the press release follows: -

A grave incident has occurred in Trincomalee Sunday where four unarmed persons two LTTE cadres and two civilians have been gunned down and killed while they were inside a house within the Uppuveli Farm Complex, and yet another civilian grievously wounded in the course of the same attack.

Access to and exit from the scene of shooting is possible by passing through several checkpoints manned by the security forces, and other security personnel deployed on the public highway. Such security arrangements have been strengthened in Trincomalee in recent times.

The attack has occurred in sri lanka military controlled territory.

The motive of the attack is the disruption of the ceasefire agreement. The apparent collusion of at least sections of the security sources in such attacks gravely damages the sincerity of the sri lanka commitment to the ceasefire. The continuance of such attacks periodically, has the potential to cause irretrievable damage to the ceasefire agreement.

The sri lanka cannot be unmindful of its' obligation, to take up the maximum possible measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur. The sri lanka authority is obliged to do so under the ceasefire agreement. The sri lanka is also obliged to do so, in order to ensure that the peace process does not break down. It is necessary for the government to take steps to erase the impression of collusion or complicity in such attacks.

The Tamil National Alliance while condemning the attack calls up on to take immediate action to ensure that such attacks are brought to an end.

Anti-peace elements are behind the attack

Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum (TDTPF) Sunday appealed to Tamil people of the east port town to observe a day of mourning on Monday and a general shut down ('hartal') on Tuesday when the bodies of two LTTE members and two civilians who were gunned down in Chelvanayakapuram are to be buried at Alankulam LTTE war cemetery, sources said.

Bodies of the four persons will be kept for homage by the people of Trincomalee on Monday before being taken to LTTE controlled Muttur east for burial which is to be held on Tuesday, LTTE sources in Trincomalee said

TDTPF in a statement issued Sunday said Trincomalee town is more or less looks like a garrisoned city with hundreds of government troops are deployed. Amid such security a group of assassins had come in a vehicle and had attacked the LTTE members in Chelvanayakapuram in daylight and returned to their place without being checked by security forces. Hence there is no room for suspicion that the attack had been carried out with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army, the statement stressed.

Anti peace elements are behind the Chelvanayakapuram attack and also it has been well planned to trap the LTTE to violate the ceasefire agreement, TDTPF statement said.

Trincomalee District Tamil Women Forum also issued a statement condemning the Chelvanayakapuram killings, sources said.

source: [TamilNet, July 2005 ]

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