Lanka's US envoy counters Congressman’s statement

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Washington Bernard Goonetilleke has written to US Democratic Party Congressman Frank Pallone Jr in response to a statement Mr. Pallone made regarding the situation in Sri Lanka on September 27th in the House of Representatives.

In the letter, Mr. Goonatilleke outlined the reasons for the escalation of violence in the country and said it was provoked by LTTE attacks on the security forces, despite the government remaining committed to talks. He also pointed out that the LTTE representatives had proceeded to Oslo in May but once there had refused to participate in the meeting on the grounds that the SLMM included monitors from EU countries which supported a ban on the LTTE.

The Ambassador also quoted from President Mahinda Rajapaksa's recent address to the UIN General Assembly where he reiterated the government's commitment to evolve a political settlement to the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Goonatilleke also said that the Government was equally concerned about the recent developments affecting the welfare of the civilian population and was addressing these issues expeditiously with a view to bringing relief and security to the civilians.

He blamed the current humanitarian situation in the north on the LTTE by closing the A 9 highway, making some districts in Jaffna and the Wanni inaccessible by road and cutting off supplies via land routes to these areas.