LTTE not willing to discuss Tamils' real grievances - Defence Spokesman

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The LTTE's demand to open the A-9 road clearly demonstrates that they were not willing to discuss real issues affecting the Tamil community, Government Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly security press briefing in Colombo, the Minister said LTTE was having sinister motives behind the demand to open the A-9 road and their real worries do not concern issues affecting the Tamil community but of their survival.

"They agreed for unconditional talks and now they are forwarding conditions," the Minister said. He however, pointed out that there was no basis for the LTTE's demand for the opening of the A-9 road since the Government is doing its best to provide essential items for the Jaffna peninsula by sea.

"It was the practice before the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in 2002," the Minister pointed out.

"The LTTE should bear the responsibility for the closure of the A-9 road from August 11 as they were the ones who fired artillery and mortar to Muhamalai and Kilaly area for more than 48 hours continuously," he said.

He said the continuing artillery mortar and artillery fire towards Security Forces defences in Muhamalai is the main reason why the Security Forces keep the road closed at Muhamalai.

The Minister pointed out that the LTTE wants the A-9 road open to bring down the university students to Kilinochchi to be used for their clandestine operations and for the operations carried out by 'Makkal Padai'. He also pointed out that the LTTE is also in dire need of using the innocent people crossing the Muhamalai entry exit point as a human shield for them to properly establish their bunker lines now in disarray due to Security Forces movements.

He said the LTTE has no moral right to discuss humanitarian issues affecting the Tamil community as they are the ones who threatened the ICRC not to escort the ships to Jaffna peninsula.

"The Security Forces not only extended their assistance to transport essential items to the peninsula but also extended their support to distribute food items among the civilian population after opening 14 welfare shops throughout the peninsula," the Minister remarked.