Rajapaksa asks L.T.T.E. to surrender

T V Sriram

Colombo, Oct 11 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa Saturday asked the beleaguered L.T.T.E. to lay down
arms and join the democratic mainstream, even as he underlined
that there was no military solution to the ethnic problem in
the island nation.

The President said the rebels should enter the democratic
process to ensure political rights for the Tamils in the
embattled northern region.

"I wish to once again very clearly call on the L.T.T.E.
to lay down their arms and surrender. They should act in this
manner and enter the democratic political process. Our aim
should be to ensure the democratic political rights of our
Tamil brethren," he said.

The President was addressing the All Party Conference to
apprise its members of the current developments with regard to
the operations "to eradicate terrorism, establish peace and
restore democracy" throughout the country.

"However difficult it may be, it is my belief that the
efforts to find political solutions to political issues should
be continued. It is my belief that there are no military
solutions to political questions," he said.

Contending that the people have elected his government to
realise their aims and aspirations, he said "it is our duty to
ensure to the Tamil people of the North the same democratic
rights as enjoyed by people in all other parts of the
country".

He also said that military operations were necessitated
in order to "eradicate terrorism" from the country and
"enthrone" democracy throughout the land.

'Colonel' Karuna Amman, leader of the L.T.T.E.'s
breakaway faction the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
(T.V.M.P.), who was earlier this week sworn in as Member of
Parliament, accused the L.T.T.E. of seeking peace to further
strengthen itself.

"On earlier occasions, incumbent governments, possibly by
mistake, had encouraged the L.T.T.E. by giving it arms and
money," he said.

Karuna, once a 'special commander' of Tiger supremo V.
Prabhakaran, recalled his participation in several rounds of
talks with the Government and said the rebel leader had
thwarted attempts to arrive at an understanding as he wanted
to drag talks and strengthen the organisation.

"They had come to an understanding to accept a federal
system as a solution. The late L.T.T.E. leader Anton
Balasingham, without consulting Prabhakaran, issued a
statement stating they were willing to consider a federal
system," Karuna said.

Prabhakaran, however "wanted the talks dragged for at
least five years till the L.T.T.E. obtained enough arms to
strengthen itself further," he added.

Karuna said he then left the L.T.T.E. after failing to
explain to Prabharakan "the futility of the armed campaign
where at least 80,000 people had lost their lives".

He also emphasised that it was necessary to defeat the
L.T.T.E. militarily.

"This was necessary in the interests of the people of the
North, who have already rejected the L.T.T.E., but were
controlled by the military power of the organisation," Karuna
said.

He also praised the President for bringing about
important changes in the East, with free and fair elections.