Talks prospect dim, sustaining CFA uncertain - Elilan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 July 2004, 15:54 GMT]
Mr.C. Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Saturday that recent talks between Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Norwegian facilitator Mr. Erik Solheim gave no indication that the stalled peace process would resume in the near future. "Instead sustaining the current envioronment of peace is becoming uncertain," said Mr.Elilan addressing the 'Sangamam' event organized by the Thamileelam Resurgence Forum in Nilaveli, about 8 km off north of eastern port town Saturday.

The event commenced with the lighting of common flame of sacrifice and hoisting of the Thamileelam national flag by the relatives of two LTTE martyrs, sources said.

Mr.Elilan further said "LTTE is prepared to face another war if it is thrusted on us. The government should take the responsibility if another war broke out" Ms Kaaronja, district women wing political head also spoke.

When the meeting was in progress around 1230 p.m. some soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army located in the vicinity visited the event and ordered the organizers to remove the Thamileelam national flag hoisted before the commencement of the meeting. But the audience argued with the SLA soldiers that they would not remove the flag, as it was not contravening the ceasefire agreement and also the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had already sorted out the matter, sources said.

However soldiers insisted that the Thamileelam flag should be removed but they later withdrew from the scene when large number of Tamil residents gathered at the site in protest, sources said.