“War cannot be stopped”- President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 April 1999, 12:12 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga Bamadaranaika, told an inter faith peace delegation yesterday evening that she could not stop the war against the Liberation Tigers.

The President told the delegation that had visited the Vanni earlier this year that the Sri Lankan Government did not trust the LTTE.

The 18 member multi-religious delegation that was led by the Arch Bishop of the Anglican church in Sri Lanka, the Rt.Rev. Kenneth Fernando, had met with LTTE representatives in the Vanni.

The religious leaders met the President at 'Temple Trees', her official residence in Colombo yesterday at 5 p.m.

The delegation had sought an appointment with the Sri Lankan President soon after their return from the Vanni in late February.

They had described the sufferings of the civilians in the Vanni that they had witnessed during their fact-finding mission in February.

The religious leaders had urged the President to redress the basic problems of the Vanni's population caused by restrictions on the supply of essentials, food and medicine.

The President had informed the delegation that she will appoint a committee next week under her secretary, Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, and comprising the Government Agents of Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Mannar to look into the problems of the civilians and take necessary measure to alleviate the suffering of the Vanni civilians.

The delegation had informed her that the Liberation Tiger are open to peace negotiations.

The President's response to this was negative said a member of the religious group.