Separate 'Tamil Homeland' not practical -US Congressman
Congressman Frank Pallone, at a recently held discussion, said that
separate Tamil homeland is not practical and unrealistic.
The Sri Lankan delegation, led by Minister of Health and the Leader
for Peace Negotiations Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, made special
arrangements to meet with members of the United States Congress to
discuss matters pertaining to the current situation in Sri Lanka.
Several meetings held in Washington D.C. on 21 September 2006.
Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary General of the Secretariat for
Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOOP) supported Minister De Silva at
these discussions. Members of the delegation also included Mr. Jeff
Goonewardena (Sri Lanka Consulate General to Colombia and Venezuela) who
organised the meetings, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha (Deputy Chief of
Mission to the US Embassy of Sri Lanka) and few others.
Congressman Pallone, a Democrat, expressed his frustration to the
violence that sparked since late last year. He was of the view that
neither the Government nor the LTTE had any intentions for peace.
However, Minister De Silva highlighted that the Rajapaksa
Government's commitment for peace began back in his election manifesto
and that his undertakings for the people of Sri Lanka remain unchanged,
even as at today.
Minister further explained that the Government resumed talks with the
LTTE in February this year in Geneva after a three-year break, but the
LTTE boycotted negotiations the second round of talks in Oslo.
"The government was ready with a maximal devolution package within a
unitary State," said the Minister. Meanwhile, Dr. Kohona pointed out
that the LTTE continued to secure arms and funding from around the world
through extraordinary means and requested the support of the US
Government to strengthen the current crack down by the FBI for which
Congressman Pallone agreed to extend his support.
In addition, Pallone expressed his view that non-LTTE Tamils were
afraid of the LTTE and asked the question why the LTTE does not want
peace.
De Silva responded by noting that majority of the Tamils in Sri Lanka
live outside of the North and East and they coexist peacefully with
others, while those who live in the North and East also want peace, but
unfortunately the LTTE pronounces peace only to strengthen its armoury,
which only indicates terror to achieving their objective.
As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Sri Lanka, Pallone
asked the delegation "what can we do to help." Minister De Silva
reiterated that Sri Lanka is genuine to end the conflict through
negotiation and requested the support of the US Government to compel the
LTTE to renounce violence and return to the negotiating table in good
faith.
"We like to promote peace; we are frustrated that it is not
happening" said the Congressman before expressing his appreciation to
the delegation for taking the initiatives to visit Washington in view of
discussing the situation personally with the Congress members. |