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Mahinda ready to face Prabha
Monday, 28 August 2006 - 11:41 PM SL Time
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said he is ready to have a one to one discussion - ?man to man? - with Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to hammer out a solution to the North-East conflict. In an interview with the India Today magazine President Rajapaksa said: ?For me, the ceasefire is still on although the LTTE has been waging an undeclared war ever since the agreement was signed. We are now just defending ourselves. But we want peace. We want a settlement. The LTTE and the Government must get together and negotiate this. I am ready to talk directly with Prabhakaran, man to man. Even after all what has happened recently, we are ready to move forward.? In the interview published in the latest issue of the magazine, the President has said that the LTTE should give up its armed struggle and come to talks.
?The LTTE must give up this armed struggle and talk. Mind you, we are talking to terrorists, not freedom fighters. There`s a difference. With a freedom fighter, you can negotiate. With a terrorist, you decide.?
He had also said that India should help Sri Lanka more under the present scenario. ?We need India`s help in the seas around Jaffna and Trincomalee to prevent arms being smuggled into our country for terrorists. We make a special appeal to India`s Tamil leaders to take the initiative and help the misguided though small section of our Tamil population to unite for a peaceful solution to its problems.?
Excerpts of the interview:
Q. During the election campaign, you had said you were against Norwegian mediation and that when you come to power they would be out. Is that still your approach?
A. I never said I was going to chase them out. We have our alliances-some of them felt they should go. After the elections, our allies agreed that they should still try and negotiate. My alliance partners gave me the mandate to go ahead with the peace talks, so we went ahead. The LTTE broke away from the peace talks because we didn`t provide a helicopter to fly them across. Can you imagine this?
Q. The feeling is that the All Party Conference is just a delaying tactic.
A. Why should I do that if this is not a process I believe in? My political strategy is transparent and I have no hidden agenda. I told them that I want concrete proposals within a clear timeframe. But what time has the LTTE given me? Ever since I was sworn in, they have replied to our peace initiative with bombs, terror and assassinations. I didn`t retaliate. I was just watching the situation, trying to say we must negotiate. Only after they hit Colombo and struck my army commander, did I react.
Q. You are perceived to be a hawk.
A. The West looked at me like that because they thought I came from a rural background. I was not glamourous enough for them. They wanted an Oxford graduate, fluent in English and one who spoke with an accent and all that. They thought a man wearing a tie would make a better leader.
Now, the whole world must understand that when the LTTE attacked initially, I showed great patience and restraint. Otherwise, I would have started (retaliating) from the time I came to power and used any excuse to walk in with all my firepower. Whatever the image they may try to build, I am still Mahinda Rajapakse who knows what the people want and their needs. What I want is peace and prosperity.
Q. Is Sri Lanka on the brink of a civil war?
A. No. Because, as I said earlier, I want peace. I don`t want war. Like India and so many other countries, our choice is to address such problems through negotiation and accommodation, not through heavy-handed repression. That`s why, whatever actions I have taken have not been in a fully offensive mode. But we will not sit idle in the face of terrorism. We will not bow down to pressure.
Q. Are you walking into a trap laid by Prabhakaran?
A. You never know how Prabhakaran`s mind works. Today, the world has recognised that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation. Apart from India, the EU has banned it and so have the Americans and the Canadians. The Australians are to follow soon. In his Independence Day speech, the President of India (A.P.J. Abdul Kalam) spoke of the need for uniting against terror-we have to forget all differences and do that. Not only for Sri Lanka, but also for India and the rest of the world. There must be international pressure-there cannot be three different approaches for one word which is terrorism.
Q. But what about the incident in which children of an orphanage were reportedly killed in an attack carried out by your army recently?
A. Instead of listening to propaganda and rumours, people must study the facts. Everybody knows it was a training camp for child soldiers and women cadres opened by the LTTE. Photographs showed the bodies were clad in black trousers, shirts and headbands. In Sri Lanka, most Hindu and Tamil girls never wear clothes like that. We had identified the camp in the jungle in 2004. We had to take action when attacked. I will never order an attack on an orphanage or on children. It was sad. We are family people. I have given clear instructions to the forces that there should not be any human rights violations.
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AstroLTTE
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 28 Aug 2006 16:47:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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Yes that is the correct way. No point to talk with other officers in both sides. Must have a direct meeting....So far no body did that. If the Prbhakaran can tell the problems he has, Mahinda can answer in the same time. Mahinda also can do the same and they can come to conclusion. This will help for a better solution, save time and save lives.
Edited By - AstroLTTE - 28 Aug 2006 16:51:51 GMT |
Sritharan
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 28 Aug 2006 16:49:39 GMT Report for Abuse
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Mahinda ready to face Prabha
- Peace Talk or
I guess this means all out war!
Are you walking into a trap laid by Prabhakaran'
Yes, he is! He will not admit that and he doesn't know what hell is going on! |
oeohosje
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28 Aug 2006 16:50:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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We have heard this before from the previous Presidents. Same old Sh........t. Please say something that is doable. Innocent people are dying everyday.
Edited By - oeohosje - 28 Aug 2006 16:56:35 GMT |
realman
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 28 Aug 2006 16:56:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said he is ready to have a one to one discussion - 'man to man' - with Tiger leader Velupillai
Dear Mr.President,
I think you r mistakenly assume that praba is a man....... |
ColomboDude
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 28 Aug 2006 16:57:45 GMT Report for Abuse
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With what man? Praba is nothing more than a jungle monkey in hiding, who is busy monitoring his swiss bank accounts from Wanni.
You stupid LTTE supporters from all around the world, carry on donating all your monthly income to LTTE, so Prabha can spend the money on his children's education and welfare. |
PachchaSira
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28 Aug 2006 17:00:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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| The Biggest mistake LTTE Terrorists did was to help bring Mahinda in to power. |
tamilcanuck
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28 Aug 2006 17:01:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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I think you r mistakenly assume that praba is a man.......
yeah he is an avatar.
destination of the country depends on what he does or doesnt do!
pretty amazing uh !!
Edited By - tamilcanuck - 28 Aug 2006 17:01:37 GM |
Kamani
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 28 Aug 2006 17:01:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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Dear President,
This Bunker Monkey does not understand your human language he only knows how to kill children and pregnant mums in the name of freedom.
Mr Rajapaksha don't waste your time with this monkey. Get started and rid the nation from this cancer ASAP!!
Good luck Sir!! |
Helaya
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 28 Aug 2006 17:02:21 GMT Report for Abuse
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LTTE has given liberation to another tamil mother:
http://www.lankadeepa.com/2006/08/29/front_news/5.html
Edited By - Helaya - 28 Aug 2006 17:02:46 GMT |
Revy
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28 Aug 2006 17:02:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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| So I guess we should expect another press release from Rumbuttan saying how the LTTE are asking for peace becase they are getting a 'beating'? |
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