LTTE team tours Talawakelle, Hatton, Matara

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2003, 11:14 GMT]
"Ruling parties in Sri Lanka have consistently described us as terrorists to the people of the South. We are only fighting to regain our rights, secession is not our main objective," said Anbarasan, head of political section of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when addressing a meeting held at the Matara district secretariat while handing over the relief supplies brought from Vanni to Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, press reports from Jaffna said.

Minister of Fisheries, Mr. Wijesekara, speaking at the meeting said, "People in Matara are deeply appreciative and grateful for the relief supplies and the concern shown by the LTTE. While being subjected to severe hardships the gesture of the LTTE to provide assistance to the people of the South strengthens the friendship between the people of North and South. This challenges the extremists from the South.

"We all hope that the stalled peace talks will resume soon. People of the Northeast have the right to live with freedom and dignity in their own homeland. Separation is inevitable if a fair and equitable solution is negotiated in the peace talks," added the Minister.

The representatives of the LTTE also visited Talawakelle where they were welcomed at an event held in Kathiresan Hall Monday evening. Following this the team visited Hatton where they met with residents and other local officials at the Hatton School of Higher Education.

The team is expected to return Vanni today, reports further said.