TNA urges International Community to prevail upon Colombo to cease violence

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 October 2006, 15:12 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in an urgent press release Sunday appealed to the International Community to prevail upon the Government of Sri Lanka to cease all military operations immediately and actively work towards creating a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of peace talks. Mavai S. Senathirajah MP, on behalf of the TNA Parliamentary Group said: "There can be little doubt that any such further offensive military operations by the GoSL will almost certainly result in the break-out of full scale war and a complete negation of the Ceasefire Agreement."

Full text of the TNA Press Release follows:

PRESS RELEASE

On the 12th of September 2006 pursuant to a meeting of the Co-Chairs in Brussels a statement was released by the latter. The Co-Chairs welcomed the expression of willingness of the GOSL and the LTTE to come to talks unconditionally and called on the Parties to “cease all violence immediately”. Further the statement said that talks should take place “urgently in Oslo at the beginning of October”.

Whilst reiterating that “The political challenges of the north and east cannot be resolved through war”, more specifically the Co-Chairs requested that “The LTTE must abide by all agreements and renounce terrorism and violence. The LTTE must show that it is willing to make the compromises needed for a political solution within a united Sri Lanka. The Government must ensure its military abides by the Ceasefire Agreement and implements the pledges from the Geneva meeting in February 2006”.

Since the statement of the Co-Chairs, the LTTE has responded positively to the call for an immediate resumption of talks, whilst also reiterating that all violence must cease in order to create an atmosphere conducive for such talks.

It is in this background of efforts to resume peace talks that the GOSL’s military offensives in the eastern province’s Vaharai area on Friday the 6th of October and the unabated aerial bombardment of areas under LTTE control have been taking place.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is reliably informed that GOSL’s military is preparing to launch further offensive military operations into LTTE controlled areas, particularly in the north. There can be little doubt that any such further offensive military operations by the GOSL will almost certainly result in the break-out of full scale war and a complete negation of the Ceasefire Agreement.

The TNA urgently appeals to all responsible members of the International Community that truly desire the resumption of negotiations and the continuation of the peace process, to prevail upon the GOSL to cease all military operations immediately and actively work towards creating a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of peace talks.

MAVAI S. SENATHIRAJAH M.P.
(On behalf of the TNA Parliamentary Group)