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Journalism of Courage
COLOMBO, APRIL 29: As the military continued to face setbacks at the hands of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Jaffna, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked the Tamil rebels to choose between peace talks and "relentless" military option.
"We invite the LTTE to join the peace process by renouncing violence and mayhem by laying down arms and ammuntion," Chandrika said in an address to the nation over State Television and Radio on Friday night for the first time after the fall of the strategic Elephant Pass and Iyakachchi garrisons in the northern Jaffna Peninsula.
"If they are unwilling to lay their arms down, as a strong government committed to safeguard freedom and human life, we are not willing to compromise with the safety of all citizens in the country," she added.
Chandrika said the LTTE had attacked Jaffna Peninsula despite her government’s efforts for the past 13 months to have peace talks with the rebel group. "Under the circumstances I wish to state that the government has unequivocally decided to protractedly and relentlessly pursue with military operations," she said.
She clarified that the war against the LTTE should not be construed as war against the Tamils. "I also wish to reiterate that this not a war against the Tamils and other minorities of this country. This war is against the threat to the security of the entire nation posed by he LTTE terrorism," the President said. Admitting that the armed forces suffered a setback at the Elephant Pass, Chandrika said, "We also concede that there were shortcomings there…There may have been instances of weaknesses on the part of certain members of the armed forces and their wanting to take narrow personal advantage."
She also lashed out at the opposition United National Party (UNP) for launching a full-scale propaganda offensive over the military setbacks to politically embarrass her.
"We also accept that there are drawbacks in the military. This is despite the government providing all assistance in every sphere. However, the vestiges of the weak military which prevailed from 1983 to 1994 has resulted in this (set back)," the President said.
Stating that her government had inherited a weak military, she said this was because the UNP government had fortified the LTTE by supplying weapons and cement. During the UNP regime there were instances where the LTTE was given the option to kill 600 policemen, she said.
The massacre of the policemen in the east took place in 1990 soon after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) left the country under the orders of late President R Premadasa, who was assassinated by the LTTE.
She, however, did not respond to UNP’s demand to constitute a war council and seek foreign military assistance to prevent Jaffna from falling into the hands of the LTTE.
Despite acrimonious exchanges between the government and the Opposition, Chandrika has invited UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and other top leaders of the party for a meeting on May 2 to discuss the current military situation in Jaffna, official media here said Friday night.
