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"The IA Proposal Sent by Colombo to the LTTE has Several Shortcomings" - Tamilselvan

"The Interim Administration proposal sent by Colombo to the LTTE has several shortcomings and the LTTE leadership is now studying the proposal in consultation with its legal / constitutional experts", Mr. Tamilselvan said.

"We will submit our counter proposals to the UNF government which could satisfy the expectations and reflect the interests of our people. We are prepared to recommence peace talks if the government accepts our counter proposals. We would be glad if the government comes forward to solve the Tamil people’s problem through peaceful means, understanding our stand", he added.

"We are keeping the doors to peace wide open. We would be very happy if the Sinhala polity avails itself of this singular opportunity for achieving permanent peace in this island. We are able to negotiate peace because we are militarily powerful today. In the past, the international community acquiesced when the Sri Lankan armed forces massacred so many people and destroyed many Tamil villages in Then-Tamil Eelam (Southern Tamil Eelam, the island’s east coast). When we were militarily not strong, the international community took no note of our people’s plight", Mr. Thamilchelvan said.

"There is a campaign among the Sinhalese that we are modernizing and expanding our armed forces to prepare for war. This is not true. The truth is that we are doing so to sustain our strength in order to protect our own people. We need power to make progress in the peace talks and to face a war if one is thrust upon us. We are building up our military strength not to oppress another nation or to destroy another people but to protect our society and nation", he emphasised.

The LTTE’s political division leader spoke at length about the vital role played by troops from the Batticaloa-Amparai District in the war to safeguard the Vanni heartland and in the major offensives against the SLA in the north that led to the fall of Elephant Pass and other key garrisons.

Mr. Tamilselvan was addressing a rally on the grounds of the ‘Meenaham’ military base to mark the eighth death anniversary of Lt. Col. Anparasi, an LTTE female commander who was killed when the Tigers overran a Sri Lanka army camp at Pondugal Chenai, near Tharavai on 27 July 1995.

Earlier in the day he declared open a memorial for Lt. Col. Anparasi

30 July 2003

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