To end separatism, UNP should be defeated first - Liberal Party

THE Secretary General of the Liberal Party Kamal Nissanka issuing a press release states that the road to end separatism cannot be found until the UNP is defeated.

It further states that the UNP manifesto as well as the recent poster displayed by the UNP indicates that they are going to end separatism. Yet they do not reveal the methodology that they are going to adopt in doing so.

The Liberal Party reminds that though the TULF contested the 1977 election on the basis of Tamil Eelam the militant Tamil separatism evolved during the period of 1977-1994 under the UNP authoritarian rule of which Wickremesinghe was a minister.

Therefore, the Liberal Party believes that 'separatism' that Wickremesinghe wants to end is partly a baby created by the UNP itself through its repressive policies of 1977, 1981 and 1983.

The LTTE, culminating with assassination of the Sri Lankan foreign minister Kadirgamar is everyday violating ceasefire agreement (CFA), which Wickremesinghe signed.

The peace talks collapsed in April, 2003 giving the advantage of the unequal terms of the CFA (2002) to furtherance the separatist causes. Today's reality is the LTTE violates many sections of the CFA.

The Liberal Party further points out that the UNP should not whitewash the LTTE for its brutal atrocities an organisation, which stands for a unitary rule in the northeast with its own homogeneous one party domination. Wickremesinghe's peace at any cost policy will never end separatism.

The Liberal Party views that Wickremesinghe lacks vision to end separatism and reiterates that there is a necessity for ' a new approach' of ceasefire and peace talks that would be initiated under a fresh leadership.

Therefore the Liberal Party states that defeating the UNP is the prime condition for ending separatism.