Stern action against P-TOMS saboteurs - President

by Ranil Wijayapala

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday reiterated that the Government was ready to act directly against those who try to sabotage the decisive and critical moment of implementing the Tsunami Relief Council which can direct this country towards permanent peace, as the nation is now at crossroads of peace and war.

"The three Forces and the Police have a direct responsibility and duty to provide security for the Government to successfully implement the Tsunami Relief Council (Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure/P-TOMS) and also to stop elements trying to sabotage this process," President Kumaratunga told thousands of senior officials of the Security Forces and the Police at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Conference and Exhibition Hall.

"This is a critical moment in the history of our nation. We have arrived at crossroads - either to drag this country towards war or direct this country towards permanent peace. We cannot let this moment be destroyed or sabotaged by any saboteur.

Our Government is ready to take direct action against them," the President added. President Kumaratunga said the Armed Forces and the Police have a responsibility to support the Government in implementing the Tsunami Relief Council as it is a legally accepted agreement between the Government and the LTTE.

President Kumaratunga cleared all doubts about the P-TOMS Council document signed between the Government and the LTTE during her address to the senior officials of the Armed Forces and the Police.

She said the Supreme Court has clearly stated that the P-TOMS was a legally valid document and the President has the power to get this document signed. The Supreme Court has also given a ruling that there is no obstacle to implement the national level committee and the district level committees of the Tsunami Relief Council, President Kumaratunga said.

"The restriction is only on the implementation of the Regional Committee of the P-TOMS", she added. The President explained that the court restriction concerns only two powers vested with the Regional Committee.

She said the Security Forces and the Police as Government personnel should not keep any political cloud in their minds about the P-TOMS and they should clear their minds to support it. She said except for one political party and a section of the party representing Buddhist monks all other major parties were supporting the Tsunami Relief Council.

"When acting according to democracy we cannot please 100 per cent. We need to have only 51 per cent majority to support us. We have more than 80 per cent of the people with us," the President remarked.

She said Security Forces and the Police should understand that Government have to talk with the LTTE if the country is to be taken forward. "Though I was subjected to LTTE atrocities personally, as long as I hold the responsibility of Presidency I am ready to talk with the LTTE on behalf of the country and the Nation if needed by the country," President Kumaratunga observed.

She assured that she was not ready betray the rights of the Security Forces and the Police when reaching a consensus with the LTTE. The dignity and rights of the Security Forces and Sinhalese Buddhists will be protected.

President Kumaratunga explained that the country should be extricated from the present situation by taking decisive steps towards establishing permanent peace.