Untitled Document

Editorial

'Refreshing' he says
At the end of a press conference by the LTTE leader, we have to do with a few words from Veluppillai Prabhakaran expanded upon and articulated in English by LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham. At the end to cap it all, we now have the interpretation of the whole briefing by G. L. Peiris, the UNF spokesman has found Prabhakaran's willingness to "consider'' giving up his armed struggle for separation and his apparent willingness to settle for "internal self-determination'' a 'positive and refreshing position.'

Though Prabhakaran may have said some things to that effect, these words "internal self determination'' seem to be the only new point in the Kilinochchi press conference. But the speed and willingness of the government to welcome "internal self determination" as positive and refreshing makes one fear on whose side the professor will be on in Thailand.
In the wake of what was revealed at the press conference, and what is being now said subsequent to the press conference by the Sri Lankan government spokesman, the people are entitled to ask whether these "talks about talks'' is but a fait accompli and everything wrapped up and ready for the taking..

For starters, there will be no war. Now that's positive and refreshing. Then comes the crunch. The LTTE will be parcelled out the North and East which will be called Thamil Eelam, and allowed to run it the way they want. The LTTE duo Veluppillai Prabhakaran and Anton Balasingham used the words 'self-government.'' The North being thus written off, it will be left for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to develop the South. Ranil Wickremesinghe will be the Premier of South Sri Lanka and Veluppillai Prabhakaran will be the President and Prime Minister of Thamil Eelam or North Sri Lanka or that's what the Prabhakaran-Balasingham duo say and the government controllers "proactive and refreshing.

Prof. Peiris also exults in saying that the negotiations with the LTTE will contain the ultimate safety device for the Sri Lankan nation - that the LTTE will have no Eelam or no sovereign state granted under any circumstances. But, he should have reiterated two solemn pledges that the Prime Minister made to the Sri Lankan people when he embarked on his peace mission with the LTTE.

These are that there will be no recognition of the concept of Tamil homelands, and that not only will there be no Eelam, but nothing, that will lead to a separate state of Eelam either.
These issues are now much to wide in scope and implication for those such as G. L. Peiris to handle on behalf of the Sri Lankan people. It is high time that the Prime Minister gathered professionals and experts with years of experience in the fields of census taking and demography and land and water management, and experts in police and military matters into a think-tank to explore what political landmine Sri Lanka is heading towards.

When Veluppillai Prabhakaran was reminded of one seemingly innocuous quote he is once made - whether he would ask his cadres to shoot him if he ever gave up his demand for a separate state - he said "I still stand by it.'' It is a moot point whether the government spokesman G. L. Peiris found that position too 'positive and refreshing.'

No. 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2. P.O. Box: 1136, Colombo.
Editor - steditor@wijeya.lk , News - stnews@wijeya.lk Features - stfeat@wijeya.lk
Business - btimes@wijeya.lk Subs - suntimes@wijeya.lk ,
Funday Times - funtimes@wijeya.lk
EDITORIAL OFFICE Tel: 326247, 328889, 433272-3. Fax: 423922, 423258
ADVERTISING OFFICE Advertising - advt@wijeya.lk , Fax: 423921
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT No. 10, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2.
Tel: 435454, 448322, 074 714252. Fax: 459725

Back to Index