TULF says ceasefire offer a "ploy"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 August 2001, 14:26 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front Thursday said that the Sri Lankan Government's offer of a truce with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a ploy to deceive the Tamil people. Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, TULF parliamentarian Thursday said the ceasefire offer made by the Sri Lankan Government soon after the breakdown of the talks between two main parties is an attempt to hoodwink Tamil political parties and the Tamil people.

"How could a government, which is weakened politically and militarily, offer a ceasefire and initiate peace negotiations with the LTTE that is military strong?" asked Mr.Pararajasingham.

"The present government thwarted an earlier genuine peace attempt made by the LTTE when they observed a unilateral ceasefire for four months," he said.

"The government not only intensified military operations in the north and east when the LTTE observed its ceasefire," the MP continued, "but also went on to sideline Mr.Erik Solheim, the Norwegian special envoy who gained the confidence of LTTE leaders in his peace initiatives. Under these circumstances how could Tamil people and Tamil political parties trust the present ceasefire offer and peace moves by the PA government?"