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Ready for talks with LTTE any time: Sri Lankan govt.
Wednesday, 28 March 2007 - 6:39 PM SL Time |  | |
Colombo, March 28 (AP): Sri Lanka`s Government said it was ready to hold peace talks anytime with the Tamil Tigers, following two days of dramatic attacks by the rebels, including their first airstrike and a suicide bombing outside a military camp.
The attacks Monday and Tuesday killed 11 people and wounded 36.
``We must try to bring a comprehensive and substantial peace,`` Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogolagama told reporters Tuesday. ``Our government believes that we need to talk, we need to explore all avenues,`` he said, adding that if the rebels agreed to negotiation, ``we can have it tomorrow.``
The rebels did not immediately respond to the Sri Lankan offer, and violence continued despite the overture.
A military`s foot patrol shot and killed two rebels after they were attacked by the insurgents in northwestern Mannar late Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, a rebel drove an explosive-laden tractor to the Chinkaladi military camp in the eastern district of Batticaloa, drawing fire from guards and triggering a blast. The insurgent, three soldiers guarding the gate and five civilians were killed in the blast, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said. Twenty people were wounded in the attack.
The attacks came a day after at least one rebel propeller plane bombed a Sri Lankan air force base outside the capital, Colombo, in the separatists` first airstrike since they started their campaign for a homeland for the country`s Tamil minority in 1983. Three airmen were killed in that attack and 16 were wounded, but no aircraft on the ground were damaged.
Apart from Tiger suicide bombings, almost all the fighting in the conflict has taken place in predominantly Tamil regions in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, and the airstrike showed the rebels can now strike deep inside the southern heartland of Sri Lanka`s Sinhalese majority.
Also Tuesday, air force fighter planes bombed three Tamil Tiger guerrilla positions in the northeast, but there was no information on damage or casualties, said air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva.
The Tigers launched their fight in 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country`s 3.1 million Tamils after decades of discrimination by Sinhalese. In the years since, they have pioneered the use of suicide bomb belts and slowly built up a navy of small gunboats.
Hopes for peace that followed a 2002 ceasefire have been dashed in the past 18 months as sporadic shootings and bombings have grown into all-out war in eastern and northern Sri Lanka.
An estimated 65,000 people were killed in fighting before the ceasefire, and an estimated 4,000 fighters and civilians have died in the last 18 months.
PTI reports:
Ban disturbed by escalating violence
The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is `disturbed` by the escalating violence in Sri Lanka and urged the island Government and Tamil rebels to return to the negotiating table.
A spokesperson for Ban said `he deeply regrets that air raids, military confrontations on the ground, and suicide bombings have become a daily occurrence, prompting massive displacement and suffering for civilians`.
He is `disturbed` by the intensifying violence, which include an air attack by the LTTE, the spokesperson said.
Ban appeals to the parties to the conflict to break this vicious cycle of attack and retaliation, which only leads to more bloodshed and victims and urges the two, which have been engaged in a two-decade-long conflict, to `return to the negotiating table as soon as possible, without preconditions.`
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Source(s)
The Hindu, Wednesday, March 28, 2007 |
Ariyalai_SB
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28 Mar 2007 12:45:16 GMT Report for Abuse
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I sent this link to Mr. Brown.
''We must try to bring a comprehensive and substantial peace,'' Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogolagama told reporters Tuesday. ''Our government believes that we need to talk, we need to explore all avenues,'' he said, adding that if the rebels agreed to negotiation, ''we can have it tomorrow.''
Why not put a proposal on the table first? It sounds like a plea to get the IC support rather than a genuine desire for peace! |
ajan
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28 Mar 2007 12:54:50 GMT Report for Abuse
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Reminder of what our leader said on NOV 27th 2006
Sinhala leaders' duplicity of war and peace has left Tamils with no choice but political independence - LTTE leader It is now crystal clear that the Sinhala leaders will never put forward a just resolution to the Tamil national question
yesterday Priminister of srilanka said this.
No ?negotiated settlement?! ? Prime Minister
(27th March 2007 - 23:45 S.L.T)
The victories that have been won so far would be consolidated and the forward march against terrorism would continue said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake. The government will never agree for a ?negotiated settlement? added the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said this participating at a ceremony held at John de Silva auditorium to celebrate World Drama Day.
The Prime Minister was very critical regarding the letter sent to him by the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe asking to convene the Parliament. He denounced Opposition Leader's move to make the letter available to the media before the letter was sent to him.
The term used by Mr. Wickremsinghe in his letter is ?negotiated settlement? and not ?discussions? pointed out Mr. Wickremanayake and added that the government would not want to lose the victories already achieved.
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2007/March/27/20070327_9.htm |
Parasuram
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28 Mar 2007 12:56:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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How many round tables and how many peace proposals ,all have ended as jokes.
This is another joke , desperate to get some aid before get bankrupt.
Genuine desire for money. |
Kulakottan
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28 Mar 2007 13:15:21 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ari,
This GOSL said that they would present their proposal on or before March, 15.
Now no talk of that date. Perhaps forgotten...
MR's plan was to continue with APC for rest of his term. But Tissa Vitharana and the expert committee spoiled his plan.
'He has no plan at all only a vague idea' as he said during his campaign. He just wants to survive his term and if possible another one!
Perhaps closer to the end of the first term he might even revive the CFA. Until then he will continu the WAR. If any Sri Lankan leader is going to help the creation of a separate state, it will be MR by his ACTIONS.
Kula
Edited By - Kulakottan - 28 Mar 2007 13:39:53 GMT |
specialforce
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28 Mar 2007 13:44:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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Im so glad to see that ariyale sb has got a page of his own...
this man is the most enlightened member of this forum as far as the tamils are concerned and i have simply loved reading his comments,thoughts and more importanly underlying vision...
congrats bro...and would like to see more and more ,your thoughts about the conflict from a battle torn area...!
cheers...
p.s i dont have to mention here sir, the kind of respect i have for you in your vision and thoughts...! |
tamilcanuck
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28 Mar 2007 15:08:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ariyalai_Sb,
i saw you posting last night with Su33. Hmm cant get through can you!!
at present the gosl thinks it can win militarily so it wont be putting any proposals soon. the economy has to be neutralized for the GOSL to talk. I hope it well on its way.
SF,
well it was good that you viisted the page and pout your comments but you left out the most important one. WHATS your POSITION in all of this |
ajan
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28 Mar 2007 16:24:30 GMT Report for Abuse
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Srilankan government ready to talk but ruled out negotiated settlement.
It can be said Srilankan government ready for negotiation(Foreign Minister Rohith)
but
ruled out negotiated settlement ( priminister Ratnasre)
this is said by two senior ministors.
FM: Srilankan Ready for talks ( to get the economy moving and tourist comes and investments comes and Donors money come to the bank)
PM: Not ready for negotiated settlement ( want to kill all tamils where possible and scare them and kick them out of the country and bomb their homes ,houses,businesses and make them refugees forever
Ariyalai SB , you trust this %^*()__%$$%%*&&^% ?
looks like special force have given you some punnaku.
he successive SL governments talk to minorities sign agreements but NEVER honour any of them, some of them are
1. BC Pact in 1957
2. SC Pact in 1965
3. CFA with LTTE in 2002
4. P-TOMS in 2005
Even the international agreements
1. Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987
2. UN Convention on anti-terrorism and money laundering in 2000
Edited By - ajan - 28 Mar 2007 16:27:07 GMT |
specialforce
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28 Mar 2007 16:27:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tc...ull see my version on my page whithin this week dedicated to u...
putting in simple...
idont have much faith in ltte and its willingness for talk or peace for that matter...they have an agenda and they never left it...
i am not too pleased with the govt stand on pushing on the war effort alone without any tangible efforts on the peace front...
if the govt tables proposals i know that the govt of india will come forword to mediate between the ltte and the govt and thus offer some hope...
i belive in the 'stick, book and a patient teacher' approach with the ltte...!
more on this later...! |
Ariyalai_SB
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28 Mar 2007 17:17:55 GMT Report for Abuse
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Dear Agan,
I have never deviated from my stand regardless of which party holds the upper hand. One has to apply pragmatism when it comes to finding a solution for an issue of the calibre of Sri Lankan conflict.
I do not disagree with what you said in terms of the Sinhalese never honour anything. However, we need to think as to what is possible and achievable. I do not, even for a minute, believe that the LTTE can form a separate state; basically, it is inconceivable. But, on the other hand, viable power devolution is very much possible with a patronage of IC. This concept can be sold to the Sinhala masses; LTTE must unconditionally and unambiguously state that they will settle for a solution within a united Sri Lanka if they are genuinely representing the Tamils.
We also need political will from the Sinhala polity; I do not see this forthcoming. Kula pointed out that MR may do something towards the end of his tenure; can the Tamils withstand until then?
TC,
My stand has never deviated; I am for a federal solution; Tamils must reconcile with the Sinhalese and rebuild trust otherwise I do not know what to say! |
nale
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28 Mar 2007 17:51:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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Yes! We are also prepared for talks-meaniful negotiations as Sien Fien leader,Martin McCnniss said.
First of all a condusive atmosphere should be esatablished if we have to have 'meaningful negotiations'
A condusive atmosphere CANNOT be created if the cowards are going to bomb and bombard the Tamils homes, hospitals,schools and places of worships-day and nigt and make hundreds of thousands of civilians flee their homes and become refugees in their land.
Stop the war which you started by violating the CFA.
Honour the CFA and the cowards should be withdrawn to the boundaries fixed by the CFA.
Then we can have a meaningful talk
No surrounder as far as Tamils are concerned.
We want peace but not at any cost.
NAtional LEader/ELAN
Edited By - nale - 29 Mar 2007 09:04:39 GMT |
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