2009   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004   2003

Conference of Major Religious Superiors meets with Tamilselvan

The appeal of the Conference was “That both the Government and LTTE begin the dialogue at the earliest to resolve our problems”.

Welcoming the Conference members, Mr.Tamilselvan expressed appreciation of the initiative taken by the Superiors to bring peace back to the people. He briefed the Superiors on the current political situation with special reference to the state of fear and panic in military occupied parts of the Tamil homeland. Tracing the background to the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), Mr.Tamilselvan said that the intended overall objective of the CFA was to bring about normalcy in the life of a people who have suffered immensely during the two decades of war and tsunami.

“The recent trend of violence in the NorthEast is a consequence of the oppressive response of the occupying military to peoples’ peaceful demonstrations against government’s inaction in the implementation of the CFA” responded Mr.Tamilselvan to the Superiors who expressed concern over the recent escalation of violence.

“Confidence building, creating a positive atmosphere for political negotiations and address the humanitarian problems of the people with minimised military presence and an attitudinal change in the military vis-à-vis the Tamil people are the priorities at the moment that can restrain the agitated people” said Mr.Tamilselvan.

Citing the case of the collective rape and killing by the SL Navy of Ms.Tharsini in Pungudutivu and the abduction of humanitarian workers at Welikanda, Mr.Tamilselvan lamented that these are counter-productive and would alienate the Tamil people from the main stream.

When The Superiors expressed concern over the fear psychosis among the Sinhala civilians about the LTTE, Mr.Tamilselvan assured that the LTTE represents the Tamil peoples’ yearning for peace and said that the Tamil people would be the best of friends for the ordinary Sinhala people once they are freed from military occupation and suitable political arrangement made to provide peace and normalcy in their life. “High Security Zones that deny basic right of the farmers to settle in their farmlands and fishermen to go back to their fishing habitats and the government’s failure to get rid of the armed groups in terms of the CFA are the major impediments in making progress in the peace process” said Mr.Tamilselvan.

The Superiors assured that they will take these messages to the people in the south and lobby the international community to support the initiatives to effectively implement the CFA.

08 February 2006

Print this

Email this