GoSL considering proscription, reimposition of PTA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 December 2006, 00:36 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is considering seriously to proscribe the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) and re- impose the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) again, Ratnasri Wickramanayake, the Premier and Deputy Defense Minister of Sri Lanka, announced in Parliament Tuesday, while addressing allocation of funds to the Ministry of Defense in the new budget for the year of 2007, Parliamentary sources said.

"LTTE has taken the law and order in its own hands for 20 years and this undemocratic conduct cannot be tolerated further. There were many peace talks held starting from Thimpu but Tiger terrorists have not yet given up terrorism. Can killing the people be justified? Tigers killed not only their leaders but also our leaders. So, we are considering implementing the PTA harshly and planning to proscribe LTTE.

"We are thinking innovatively and we have to do so to uproot terrorism completely. Hence, I request Liberation Tigers to lay down weapons forthwith and come to peace talks. We have never taken any actions at all against Tamil people and are duty bound to save them. Unfortunately, Tigers operate using Tamil people as pawns," he further said.

While criticizing the foreign countries and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Wickramanayke said, ˜some of our citizens have established NGOs with foreign funding and act against the sovereignty of the country. We are monitoring this issue closely. People born in this country can not be allowed to work for foreign countries against our sovereignty.

"Furthermore, some foreign representatives, who have connections with LTTE, visited us and expressed views against the Government. We will not allow any LTTE agent to enter our country in future.

"Even though we live in a poor country, we need not bow down to foreign countries. We cannot compromise our sovereignty for foreign funds. We will never allow that to happen. No foreign country has the right to interfere in our own affairs and dictate terms to us. They should understand that clearly.

"Everybody asks whether the ceasefire is in force. Tigers continue with killings and the foreign countries not only violate our sovereignty but also place demands to us. We do not kneel down before them," said the Prime Minister.

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