
Ready to fight and ready for peace too
Anura in parliament
"We are ready to fight. We are ready for peace too. If it were peace let it be peace. If we are to exchange blows we can do that too. Tell this to your Wanni leader", Minister Anura Bandaranaike said so in parliament yesterday. Following the minister's earlier utterances Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament Sivajilingam sought the leave of the house to reply the minister's speech. The speaker refused him permission and when Mr. Sivajilingam persisted with his request Minister Bandaranaike came out with the forgoing words expressing their readiness to fight the Tamils and wanted the TNA to convey that message to the LTTE leadership. "This (the house of parliament) is not Wanni jungle. Do not forget it", he said in his violent roar. Just as the then President J. R. Jeyawardana proclaimed "If it is peace let it be peace, if it is war let it be war" in 1983 when the Sinhalese crowd were roused against the Tamils and the uncontrolled riots was leashed out and rather superseding J.R. Minister Anura thundered in Parliament yesterday howling down TNA member Sivajilingam.
07 August 2004
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