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“Killings at this time would endanger post-tsunami activites and the peace process”

“My profound condolences to the victims of the tsunami impact and the people of Batticaloa-Amparai who have lost a good leader, his colleagues and a human rights activist in the recent killing which we vehementlly condemn and wish to express our fears of this type of killings endangering the peace process at large” said Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Special Japanese Peace Envoy, in a meeting with Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing at Kokkatticholai today 12 Feb 2005.

The Special Envoy was on a tour of the Batticaloa-Amparai region devastated by tsunami and the meeting with Mr.Tamilselvan was arranged at Kokkatticholai in view of the latter’s presence here on account of the Martyrdom commemoration of slained LTTE Political Head of Batticaloa-Amparai Lt.Col.Kaushalyan along with three of his colleagues and Human Rights Activist and Former Amparai legislator Chandranehru Arianayagam at a location between Welikanda and Punani SL Military complexes when they were returning from Kilinochchi after discussions with the leadership on post-tsunami recconstruction activities.

Mr.Akashi was keen to know about the status of the proposal put forward by the LTTE to the government to formulate a common structure to meet urgent humanitarian delivery and reconstruction activities in a post tsunami sccenario. The Head of the Political Division explained that the LTTE remains committed to work with the government on such a mechanism and regretted that there is delay on the part of the government to arrive at a consensus based on the realistic and pragmatic proposals put forward through the facilitators.

In view of a meeting with the President tonight, Mr. Akashi wanted to know if there is any message from the Political Head. Responding to this Mr. Tamilselvan said that the government should consider the proposals purely on the basis of those being meant to rehabillitate and develop the tsunami hit NorthEast coast, the urgency of it and the advantage of this mutual trust building exercise leading to better prospects in the peace process.

Mr. Tamilselvan also made it a point to mention that the government and its military should act in accordance with clause 1.8 of the Cease Fire Agreement, which prohibits activities of armed groups, a matter that has not been seriously viewed by the goverrnment resulting in such killings.

Associated with the Special Envoy was the Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda and embassy officials.

12 February 2005

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