The Sri Lankan government has indicated that it may ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) once again, considering the stormy political developments in the Sinhala south and the stepped-up war against the armed movement in the north.
A ban on the LTTE will rule out the possibility of any negotiations to end the protracted conflict as the Tigers have consistently refused to talk whilst they are deemed outlaws.
According to Senior Presidential advisor and parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa, the ruling SLFP’s parliamentary group last week approved a proposal to proscribe the LTTE if the movement continued its terrorist activities.
Basil Rajapaksa, who is also a brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that although some SLFP MPs expressed reservations on the grounds that a proscription would complicate the peace process, the proposal was backed by a majority.
“How soon the proscription will come will depend on how the LTTE operates in the coming weeks. If the LTTE continues with its terrorist activities, then the ban will come. The ball is now in the LTTE’s court,” Rajapaksa, said.
Rajapakse’s comments came at a time the ruling party was trying to woo Sinhala hardliner parties to support the annual Budget. Last Monday the government comfortably won the vote.
Rajapakse told the heads of the state media at a weekly meeting on Wednesday that President Rajapaksa was "willing to re-ban the LTTE" and negotiate with the Sinhala nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri lanka’s third largest party, in an effort to widen its base of support, while getting ready for a showdown in Parliament.
