Sri Lanka’s hardline Sinhala parties allied to President Mahinda Rajapakse this week urged him to ‘eliminate’ the Liberation Tigers’ held area of eastern Trincomalee, reinforcing their parallel call for him to tear up the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement.
For some time, the ultra-Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP), has been demanding that President Rajapkse, whom it helped elect last November, launch military attacks on the LTTE.
President Rajapakse has been keen to bring the JVP, the third largest party in southern politics, into his minority government.
As its conditions to formally join the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, the JVP demanded Rajapakse “ally with Asian countries, abrogate the Norwegian facilitated Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), and strengthen Sri Lankan military to defeat the LTTE.”
The JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe speaking at the press conference set out twenty conditions Monday, including these.
The JVP did not want any cabinet positions for the members of his party, he said. But among the JVP demands for President Rajapakse are that he:
- cancel the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement,
- remove the Norwegian facilitators,
- use military power to free North east from terrorists,
- enforce Government rule in uncleared [LTTE-controlled] areas,
- maintain diplomatic relations only with Asian and ‘other friendly nations’,
- refrain from signing bi-lateral or multi-lateral agreements harmful to the national security,
- stop fund raising which ‘promote separatism ideals.’
The Marxist-cum-Sinhala nationalist party also demanded President Rajapaske ‘stop privatization of national resources and government institutions’ and ‘re-nationalize the privatized Government institutions’
This week, the JVP demanded specifically that the LTTE be destroyed in Trincomalee district.
Making a special statement to Parliament Tuesday, JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa said security for the Trincomalee harbour could not be ensured as long as the LTTE holds control of the Sampur area.
In support of his call for an offensive, Weerawansa cited a 2002 report published by senior US military officer.
He dismissed calls by Norwegian peace facilitators last week for an end to hostilities and for both sides to return to positions held at the signing of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement.
Weerawansa said the LTTE gained control of Sampur only after the ‘so-called Ceasefire Agreement’ and criticized Norwegian Development Minister Erik Solheim’s call for and end to violence.
Weerawansa told Parliament the Sri Lankan government was not accountable to the Norwegians and the so-called international community, but to the country’s constitution.
“A government should work according to the people’s mandate and it is the duty of the patriotic forces to encourage and lead the government in the proper direction,” he said.
For some time, the ultra-Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP), has been demanding that President Rajapkse, whom it helped elect last November, launch military attacks on the LTTE.
President Rajapakse has been keen to bring the JVP, the third largest party in southern politics, into his minority government.
As its conditions to formally join the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, the JVP demanded Rajapakse “ally with Asian countries, abrogate the Norwegian facilitated Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), and strengthen Sri Lankan military to defeat the LTTE.”
The JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe speaking at the press conference set out twenty conditions Monday, including these.
The JVP did not want any cabinet positions for the members of his party, he said. But among the JVP demands for President Rajapakse are that he:
- cancel the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement,
- remove the Norwegian facilitators,
- use military power to free North east from terrorists,
- enforce Government rule in uncleared [LTTE-controlled] areas,
- maintain diplomatic relations only with Asian and ‘other friendly nations’,
- refrain from signing bi-lateral or multi-lateral agreements harmful to the national security,
- stop fund raising which ‘promote separatism ideals.’
The Marxist-cum-Sinhala nationalist party also demanded President Rajapaske ‘stop privatization of national resources and government institutions’ and ‘re-nationalize the privatized Government institutions’
This week, the JVP demanded specifically that the LTTE be destroyed in Trincomalee district.
Making a special statement to Parliament Tuesday, JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa said security for the Trincomalee harbour could not be ensured as long as the LTTE holds control of the Sampur area.
In support of his call for an offensive, Weerawansa cited a 2002 report published by senior US military officer.
He dismissed calls by Norwegian peace facilitators last week for an end to hostilities and for both sides to return to positions held at the signing of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement.
Weerawansa said the LTTE gained control of Sampur only after the ‘so-called Ceasefire Agreement’ and criticized Norwegian Development Minister Erik Solheim’s call for and end to violence.
Weerawansa told Parliament the Sri Lankan government was not accountable to the Norwegians and the so-called international community, but to the country’s constitution.
“A government should work according to the people’s mandate and it is the duty of the patriotic forces to encourage and lead the government in the proper direction,” he said.
