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Pressure the Government to start peace talks with LTTE

A massive protest march on Saturday organized by the Mullaitivu CBOs handed over a memorandom to the head of SLMM through Vanni district parliamentarian S.Kanagaratnam. In it the CBOs demanded SLMM to apply pressure on the Sri Lankan government to restart the peace talks with, and hand over an interim administration for Northeast to, LTTE. The memorandum further added:

- Tamil people hoped that they would rise from the 30 years of war destruction. Against all such expectations the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is decaying and dying day by day. The government has so far ignored most of the agreements signed in the MOU. It has let loose many behind the scene destructive forces against the LTTE and the Tamil people.

- Government is increasing its military capacity in manpower and weaponry. SLMM must know that government has also purchased war ships.

- The tsunami misfortune has brought tragedy upon tragedy to the Tamils. The contradictions in the politics of south Sri Lanka are delaying the internationally agreed joint structure for tsunami reconstruction in Northeast.

- In this context the only constructive step forward is to give the interim administration to the LTTE that is accepted as the sole representatives of the Tamils.

- Planned and executed arrests and torture of LTTE cadres and people in the Northeast are continuing day by day. People in government controlled areas of Northeast are living with a sense of fear. In east especially murders are taking place everyday. SLMM must be aware of this.

- Government has permitted armed paramilitaries to stay in areas under its control and has given protection to them and is using them to launch murderous attacks on LTTE members.

- Government has declared areas around its military camps in Northeast as high security zones and has taken over the homes of people in this area. Homeowners are forced to live in refugee camps as a result.

- The President has proclaimed during elections that she will abide by the MOU. Yet the government has not taken any actions to comply with the MOU. Instead as everyone knows the President has issued several contradictory messages.

In this context we have lost all hope that the joint structure proposed by you and the international community for the tsunami rehabilitation work will be implemented. We therefore submit to you that the only solution to the current difficulties is to start talks with the LTTE and hand over the interim administration to them. We hope you will to take quick action to realize this.

11 April 2005

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