WAPS Media Release - 26 August 2005 - WAPS Urges the International Community and the Sri Lankan Government to set Minimum Critical Specifications before Revising the Cease-Fire Agreement with Tamil Tiger Terrorists.

World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka

PO Box 4066, Mulgrave VIC 3170, Australia

Phone: +61 3 9548 0276 Fax: +61 3 9584 0276

Email: ranjiths@spur.asn.au, webmaster@spur.asn.au Website: http://www.spur.asn.au

Media Release : Friday, 26 August 2005

http://www.spur.asn.au/WAPS_20050826_CFA_Specification.htm

WAPS Urges the International Community and the Sri Lankan Government to set Minimum Critical Specifications before Revising the Cease-Fire Agreement with Tamil Tiger Terrorists

Open letter to the Sri Lanka’s President, Prime Minister, South Asian Leaders, the International Community, Norwegian Facilitators and the People of Sri Lanka;

The killing spree of the Tamil Tiger Terrorists continues unabated. The civilized world has been shocked and saddened by the assassination of Mr Lakshman Kadirgramar, one of the most visionary and noble leaders of Sri Lanka. Even before the fires lit at the pyre of the late Foreign Minister is extinguished, and ashes are strewn to Kalu Ganga, the Norwegians are colluding with the LTTE to reignite the “Peace Talk” smokescreen to dim the memory of our fallen hero.

The self-appointed terrorist theoretician Balasingham (currently enjoying the hospitality of Tony Blair in London) has done a quick shuttle to Oslo. He had first directed and then colluded with the Norwegian facilitators to get the Sri Lankan Government to begin a dialogue about ‘rectifying the shortcomings in the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA)’ counter signed and approved by the now disgraced former Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesingha.

We warn the International Community and the President and Prime Minster of Sri Lanka, not to agree to any dialogue with terrorists unless the scope of the discussion and the ground rules are first set.

The LTTE strategy is to put up a smoke screen when the external environment, including the international community turns decisively against terror or refocuses on terrorism. Some examples of this include:

(1) Agreeing to talk peace and subsequently signing a biased Ceasefire Agreement after 11 September 2001;

(2) Releasing a token number of child soldiers (whilst aggressively recruiting elsewhere) when the United Nations and UNICEF condemned LTTE’s crimes against humanity; especially recruitment of child soldiers;

(3) Proposing the ISGA as a ‘red herring’ to scuttle the peace talks with the then UNF Government; and

(4) Promoting the “cooperation with the Government” Trojan Horse when discussing recovery from the Tsunami

If one looks carefully, most of LTTE’s so called “peace initiatives” have come at a time when they are trying to operate in either a hostile national and international environment or recovering from military setbacks. The post Hon Lakshman Kadiragamar’s assassination period should be viewed in the same context.

To safeguard the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and to ensure LTTE’s productive participation in the CFA review process, we urge all concerned with ending LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka to subscribe to the following minimum critical specifications prior to embarking on any duscussions with the LTTE.

1. All participants including the peace facilitator Norway, must accept the territorial integrity and the unitary status of Sri Lanka

2. The LTTE must agree to:

(a) Developing a program to lay down arms;

(b) Stop assassinating political opponents, innocent civilians and military personnel'

(c) Immediate stop to human rights violations such as enlisting of children as soldiers, training carders as suicide bombers and extorting in general from the people in the North and the East; and

(d) Stop ethnically cleansing, killing and harassing of Sinhalese and Muslim residents in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

3. Norway should immediately:

(a) Stop financing, supplying arms, logistics and training LTTE terrorists for combat; and

(b) Stop LTTE front organisations collecting funds in Norway; and

4. The Government of Sri Lanka must:

(a) De-merge the artificially linked North and the Eastern provinces;

(b) Hold provincial council elections by December 2005;

(c) Take every step to protect military and civilian lives and places of worship and archaeological value in the North and East of Sri Lanka; and

(d) Strengthen the defence forces free from political interference.

Any negotiations without each party first adhering to above pre-conditions will only pump oxygen in to the struggling LTTE, encouraging them to expanding its cleansing agenda to the so called 'uncleared' areas in the North and the East. The LTTE claims to be the sole representative of the Sri Lankan Tamil people. However, they continue to assassinate Tamil civilians on a daily basis. This itself blows to smithereens its mythical claim for unique status.

WAPS strongly believes that the Government will walk blindly into LTTE’s Trap if it succumbs to Norway’s attempts to coerce the Government into discussions with the LTTE, without first agreeing to the minimum critical specifications as articulated by WAPS.

If the government by any chance jumps into peace negotiations with the LTTE terrorists, without adopting the WAPS specifications, the death of Hon Kadiragamar (which precipitated the discussions) would be a colossal waste. The public would castigate the Government for metaphorically desecrating Kadir’s grave.

Let us strive for peace with dignity to honour the memory of our fallen hero, Hon Lakshman Kadiragamar.

Adopt the WAPS minimum critical specifications.

Signed

Dr. D. Jayasuriya

President of Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR), Australia

President - Sri Lanka United National Association (SLUNA) of Canada

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights of Sri Lanka (SPUR), NSW, Australia

President - Western Australian Society for Peace Unity and Rehabilitation, (WASPUR) in Sri Lanka, Australia

President - Sri Lankans Against Terrorism- NSW, Australia

President - Sinhala Cultural and Community Services Foundation of Victoria, Australia

President - Apey Shakthi- New Zealand

Coordinator - Hela Muthu Ketaya, New Zealand

President - Canadian Association for United Sri Lanka-Canada

President - Sri Lankan United National Association-Canada

President - Sinhala Centre- United Kingdom

President - The International Campaign for the Liberation of the Sinhala Nation- United Kingdom

President - Sinhala Association of Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom

President - New York Society of United Sri Lankans-U.S.A

President - United Sinhalese Association in Italy- Rome, Italy

President - Pacific Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka, Vic (National Office), Australia

President - Alliance Against Tamil Domination, United Kingdom

President - Veera Parakramabahu Foundation (VPF), NSW, Australia

President - First Society of Sri Lankan Professors in American Universities, United States of America

President - First Society of Sri Lankan Professionals in Japan, Japan

The URL of this document is http://www.spur.asn.au/WAPS_20050826_CFA_Specification.htm

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