President to seek Indian help to safeguard waters North of Sri Lanka

Rohan MATHES in Dehradun

INDIA: President Mahinda Rajapaksa will request from the Indian Prime Minister to work out a method of safeguarding the waters North of Sri Lanka from the threats of the LTTE.

Addressing Indian journalists at the Rural Litigation and Empowerment Centre at Dehradun where he laid the foundation stone for the Indo-Sri Lanka Human Rights Centre for SAARC, the President said that any increased strength of the LTTE's Sea Tigers was not only a threat to Sri Lanka, but to India and the other countries of the region. It was also a threat to international peace.

He also reiterated his Government's commitment for a negotiated settlement and to bring about lasting peace to Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa said: "I have always said I am ready for negotiations with the LTTE. I have said so earlier and I say so today, too. In fact in my first statement on assuming office as President, I invited the LTTE for negotiations.

But their response was to attack unarmed members of the Security Forces and civilians, from about a week after I made that request. They have continued their violence with killings almost daily since then."

Answering questions from media personnel President Rajapaksa said that despite this wave of violence by the LTTE, the Government did not take any retaliatory action, but showed great patience and restraint, which was commended by the world.

The first retaliation by the Armed Forces took place only after an LTTE suicide killer attacked the Army Commander in April this year.

After that, in July this year, the LTTE blocked the Mavilaru anicut cutting off water for drinking and irrigation to nearly 20,000 people, mainly cultivators in the East. "I had to ask the Armed Forces to open the anicut, as a humanitarian gesture and to defend the rights of the citizens."

The President also explained that after the blockage of Mavilaru, the LTTE had moved beyond its Forward Defence Lines at Muhamalai and attacked the Armed Forces there, moving nearly three kilometres beyond their lines.

The Army had to repulse that move. Answering questions whether Sri Lanka would ask the Indian Prime Minister for joint patrolling of the sea North of Sri Lanka, by India and Sri Lanka, and whether any such request had been made to India, President Rajapaksa said, no such request had been made.

What he would request from the Indian Prime Minister was to work out a method of safeguarding the waters North of Sri Lanka from the threats of the LTTE.

He said any increased strength of the LTTE's Sea Tigers was not only a threat to Sri Lanka, but to India, and the other countries of the region. It was also a threat to international peace.

President Rajapaksa said there was no specific agenda for his discussions later this week with the Indian Prime Minister. He looked forward to the meeting to help explain Sri Lanka's position on current developments.

"We have always valued our friendship with India and our discussion will be based on that understanding," he said.

Responding to questions as to when the Government would lift the blockade of Jaffna and open the A9 route, President Rajapaksa said there was no blockade of Jaffna. The A9 route was open up to Muhamalai.

It is closed only from there as the LTTE was attacking the Security Forces from there. The Government was taking adequate steps to increase food and other essential supplies to Jaffna.

He said there was a great deal of misinformation about the situation in Jaffna, particularly by some political parties in Tamilnadu. Most of what they said was not based on a correct assessment of the situation.

In response to questions about reports regarding the Security Forces being involved in the recruitment of child soldiers, the President said that was a ridiculous allegation.

"To say that our forces are doing this is a joke. In fairness to the LTTE, even they have so far never said that the Government or the Security Forces were engaged in such work. I totally reject this as a baseless allegation," he said.