'Wont fall for provocations to break truce' - Karikalan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 June 2002, 16:28 GMT]
"The power of our people is greater than the power of the gun. We have come into areas controlled by the Sri Lanka army because we trust the might of the Tamil masses. The commandos of the Special Task Force are telling our people to make coffins when the whole world is exhorting all of us to make peace. In truth, the STF is trying to bury the peace process in those coffins," said Mr. Karikalan, a senior official of the LTTE's political division, addressing a rally of more than five thousand students in Thambiluvil, 76 kilometres south of Batticaloa, Thursday.

"The STF is attempting to deliberately provoke us into breaking the ceasefire and starting the war again. But we are resolute that we wont fall for this ruse because we, the Liberation Tigers, are firm in our belief that a lasting and honourable solution to the conflict should be found by peaceful means, through negotiations", Mr. Karikalan said.

"The STF commandos attack our people when they ask for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Bullets are what our people get when they agitate for peace", he told the gathered students and people.

Thambiluvil and Thirukkovil are large, contiguous Tamil villages on the island's southeast coast, 74-78 kilometres south of Batticaloa.

Mr. Karikalan is the first senior LTTE official to visit the region after 15 years.