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Dr. Anton Balasingam Responds to Comments by US Ambassador to Sri Lanka

In an interview to Tamil Net, Dr. Balasingam, however, has clearly laid down LTTE's arguments for the immediate implementation of agreements reached during the previous rounds of negotiations.

During the course of this interview he meticulously replied to most of Mr. Wills' assertions about the peace process and the aspirations of the Tamil People. "We intentionally created an interval, an interregnum for the government to take immediate and constructive measures to address urgent humanitarian issues faced by the Tamils. We have taken the talks very seriously and the implementation of the decisions at the talks more seriously. Our intention is to pressurise the government to realise the urgency of the existential issues confronting our people and to impress upon them the importance of fulfilling obligations, pledges and decisions. The internally displaced and the refugees have been languishing in refugee camps and welfare centres for more than ten years. Obligations under Ceasefire Agreement have not been fulfilled for nearly fifteen months. Our pleas for the last six months, during sessions of talks, to resolve the issue of resettlement have not been taken seriously. I don’t think Mr Wills has understood the frustrations and the enormous suffering of the uprooted Tamils. The Ceasefire Agreement is a serious commitment by the parties in conflict, not only to cease armed confrontations but to create conditions to restore normal life to the Tamil civilian population also. The Sri Lankan armed forces have yet to fulfil their obligations under the truce and continue to violate the fundamental rights of the refugees to return to their homes and villages. This is the problem in a nutshell. We are representing the interests of our people. As the representatives of our people we reserve the right to express our displeasure if decisions at the talks are not implemented and bi-lateral agreements are not fulfilled. Our decision to temporarily suspend negotiations giving time for the government to act is a fair and rational form of protest" Dr. Balasingam said.

"The Americans are well aware that our organisation has already abdicated all acts of armed violence ever since we signed a Ceasefire Agreement. Yet we do have military formations to protect our lands and our people. The ethnic conflict is not yet resolved and the threat of Sinhala military aggression of Tamil lands is not yet over. Under these circumstances, decommissioning or abdication of arms is non-negotiable. The majority of the Tamil people will not agree with Mr Wills’s perception that the maintenance of armed formations by the LTTE would not protect the Tamil rights but rather create conflicts. On this issue the Tamils seriously differ with Mr Wills. Our people have suffered bitter historical experience of state terror and oppression extending over decades. The Tamils resorted to armed resistance as the last resort to defend their right to existence."

"The Tamils are seeking, not only substantial political autonomy but also a security system that would permanently ensure the protection of their right to live peacefully with dignity and freedom in their historically given homeland. I sincerely hope that the Americans will appreciate and understand the aspirations as well as apprehensions of a people who have faced genocidal oppression from State terrorism and violence."

- Dr. Balasingam

26 April 2004

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