Thamilselvan's threat: beware all Sinhalese - LTTE's message a damp squib

by Thava Sajitharan

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have threatened to withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA).

"We consider the Sri Lankan government's artillery bombardment of the LTTE controlled areas as amounting to 'declaration of war'" the LTTE's political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvan was quoted as telling Reuters on Thursday. While warning to resort to counter offensive, he has ruled out any chance of resuming negotiations.

Earlier on, after meeting with the Norwegian ambassador Hans Brastkar in Killinochchi last Wednesday, Thamilchelvan was reported to have said that the people of the South would have to face the consequences of the prevailing crisis in the North and East. However, the government has rejected the possibility of withdrawing from Sampur. The military forces captured Sampur from the LTTE on Monday after severe artillery battles.

The government maintained that the retake of Sampur was a matter of national interest. Sampur was the first the major capture of a LTTE held area since the CFA was signed.

The Sunday Observer sought the views of the representatives of political parties on matters concerning the security situation and Thamilchelvan's warning of potential attacks on the Southern part of the island. Here are excerpts:

Deputy General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) and Member of Parliament Tissa Athanayake said: "Thamilchelvan's utterance is indeed a serious threat to the national security. In the first place, the government should take the responsibility for the rising crisis since it has failed to keep the Ceasefire Agreement in place. The onus is on the government to strengthen the national security. It should give people the assurance of their safety".

An apparently angry Ven. Athuraliya Rathnathero of the Jathika Hela Urumaya said he had nothing to say on the issue. "I need not respond to what a 'terrorist' has said", he said.

Deputy Minister of State Infrastructure Development Muttu Sivalingam of Ceylon Workers' Congress said: "the situation is alarming. Yet there is a glimmer of hope since the political parties in the South are holding discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The parties in the South will have to arrive at a common consensus to end the National conflict. We all know that war is not going to be a solution. Twenty-five per cent of the up-country youth are employed out-side their native places.

A dense populace of the up-country Tamils live in areas such as Colombo and other parts of the South. They will be affected if such a turbulence were to befall the country. Newspaper reports say that several up-country youth are arrested on suspicion.

This has to be thwarted. There are about 300,000 up-country Tamils without the National identity card. The police will eye them suspiciously. We urge President Rajapaksa to take measures to placate the situation.

Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication Minister and Up-country People's Front leader P. Chandrasekaran said: "When there is war in the country, it is inevitable that the whole nation gets affected.

The government has to act swiftly and bring an end to the problem. Both the LTTE and the government should come to the negotiation table immediately.

National Organiser of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF - Varathar group) Rasiah Thurairathnam said: The LTTE has been attacking the government forces right from the start. Perhaps this is the first time that Thamilchelvan has publicly admitted their motive to strike the army and the public. It was the LTTE that began hostilities in Mutur. Their intention was two-fold.

The recent LTTE attacks in Colombo took place when the South Asian Games were proceeding and international cricket matches were scheduled to be played in Colombo. The LTTE wanted to send a message to the government that they were strong and capable of launching attacks against the forces. Its second intention was to destroy the public confidence. But it has failed in doing so."

Several attempts to contact the leaders of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Tamil National Alliance and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress failed as they were busy otherwise.