Strengthen Govt to defeat terror, achieve peace

Foreign Minister's clarion call to global community

Rodney Martinesz and Manjula Fernando

KOTTE: Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday urged the international community to further strengthen the hand of the Government which is fully committed to a negotiated settlement within the contours of democracy, human rights and pluralism.

"Our friends internationally, and am happy to say we have many today - USA, Japan, UK, the European Union, Canada, Australia, our great neighbour India and of course our facilitator Norway- strengthen our hands even further whilst applying pressure on the LTTE to change its violent ways.

The LTTE must be told in no uncertain terms that terrorism will not help them achieve their goals," Minister Samaraweera told Parliament.

Speaking during the Budget debate, the Minister said if the international community genuinely wishes to help Sri Lanka find a durable peace, they should see the problem in its true perspective. "Sri Lanka's problem is not a classic textbook case of conflict resolution where a standard boilerplate solution could be applied.

A romanticised notion of LTTE being "freedom fighters" is the biggest obstacle for some of our wide eyed friends in understanding Sri Lanka's ethnic issue," the Minister said.

He said Sri Lanka recognised the vital role the US Government played in clearly indicating to the LTTE that terrorism does not pay.

The United States has matched their words with action by cracking down on fundraising and arms procurement activities within their borders.

The commitment and support extended to us by the US Government must be applauded by all Sri Lankans, he said.

The Minister said: "Of course, we cannot forget India, our great neighbour and old friend who has played an important role in trying to forge a settlement in our country.

Despite domestic political compulsions and pressures, the continued support of the Indian Government for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country must also be appreciated by all Sri Lankans."

With mounting global pressure from the United States, European Union, Japan and India, the LTTE was forced, albeit grudgingly, to return to the negotiating table on September 29.

The EU ban was an important factor that subtly pushed the LTTE to the negotiating table.

I believe the threat of being banned in Japan, which was conveyed to the LTTE by Special Envoy Akashi the last time he visited the Vanni, was yet another pressure point.

"In order to counter the intense international pressure, the LTTE has mounted a systematic campaign to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka.

In a vain attempt to offset its horrendous record of human rights violations and child abductions, the LTTE is now accusing the Government of all sorts of similar atrocities," the Minister added.

Raviraj killing: Ministry in contact with Scotland Yard

KOTTE: The Foreign Ministry through the Sri Lankan High Commission in London has been in contact with Scotland Yard, who will assist in the investigation of the cold blooded murder of MP Raviraj Nadarajah, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told Parliament yesterday. He said this is being done at the request of President Rajapaksa.

He said: "Despite the sincere and concerted efforts by the Government, NGO rent boys like Kumar Rupasinghe continue to bray loudly and hurl baseless allegations. Instead of hearsay, speculation and innuendo, I suggest that Rupasinghe and his ilk come forth with solid evidence and present it to the authorities or make this information public.

The indecent haste in which the Rupasinghe's of this world accuse the Government when tragic incidents of this nature happens, is in stark contrast to their deafening silence when the brightest and best of the Tamil polity are systematically eliminated over the years by the LTTE."