Call for retaliation only strengthens forces that seek escalation

The assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar took place when efforts were being made to re engage the Government and LTTE in a joint mechanism for humanitarian purposes and to re-start the peace process.

We condemn this assassination, more so as it has been carried out during a time of Ceasefire which has existed for three and a half years. The Government has accused the LTTE of this assassination which the LTTE has denied. This open breakdown of relations is a major blow to hopes of a revival of the peace process," a release by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka said.

Minister Kadirgamar is the most prominent figure to be assassinated during the post-ceasefire period and he is only one among a large number of victims.

Tamil political opponents of the LTTE, military personnel and LTTE cadre are today being killed virtually on a daily basis. Journalists supporting and opposing the LTTE have also been killed.

We are saddened by these killings and condole with their families. Regrettably the repeated condemnations of these actions by civil society and the international community have failed to stem the growing number of such killings. The NPC condemns the use of violence and assassination to address past grievances or to weaken the opponent. Such actions will not serve to bring any benefit to either the peace process or help in finding a political settlement to the conflict.

The call for retaliation in kind only serves to strengthen forces that seek escalation of conflict, and would create conditions of war in which killings get much worse. Difficult though it is all parties have to collectively ensure that a suitable environment is created for dialogue on the various issues that separate the Government and LTTE."

"In this time of heightened emotions and political instability, NPC calls on the political leadership together with civil society to work in a bipartisan manner to create conditions for a resumption of the peace process.

"We urge the international community to do likewise with the LTTE. An independent investigation with international assistance will be helpful in restoring people's faith in the legal process. We also call on both the Government and LTTE to renegotiate the Ceasefire Agreement and implement it sincerely", the message said.