<b>LTTE pledges - no more war </b>

Keith Noyahr

Scoffing at speculation that Tiger guerrillas were using the ceasefire to prepare for another war, a top LTTE official said, "we detest armed violence," and "are committed to peace".

"We are civilised enough (now) to understand that the military means will not bring in the desired solution," said S.P. Thamilchelvan, the LTTE's political wing leader.

Mr. Thamilchelvan said the LTTE "will leave no stone unturned," in pursuing the peace process.

"We are fully committed to the peace process and we are not in need of amassment of weapons," said Mr. Thamilchelvan when questioned about reports of stockpiling.

He however observed that there was no drastic change in the government's defence budget and cadre recruitment and replenishment of arms stocks in an apparent bid to justify a similar attitude by the LTTE initially.

Mr. Thamilchelvan said the people was fearful that lasting peace may not be achieved as "the original enthusiasm has slowed down".

"The time has come for all people to work for peace," adding that it was still possible to restore the original harmony and friendship between the communities of the country.

Mr. Thamilchelvan at a news conference with Editors of Sinhala, Tamil and English newspapers from the South said the media had an important role in furthering the peace process.

"We consider the role of the media of vital importance to sustain the present peace process," said Mr. Thamilchelvan adding that the message of the LTTE and the Tamil people "must be heard clearly in the South."

He warned there were many forces keen on wrecking the peace process.

Mr. Thamilchelvan said the country that was subject to the "travails of a dirty war" was now at an important juncture in finding a political solution to the war that brought in devastation for all the people of this country.

"Let us all together promote this peace environment and take this towards a permanent peace," said Mr. Thamilchelvan.

He reiterated his appeal to the media to further this unity to "fulfill the aspirations of the Tamil people and to ensure that all Sri Lankans could live in "dignity and equality".

He said the two main parties with Norwegian facilitation were in the process of working on confidence-building measures between communities.

He noted that the ceasefire agreement had held despite all the "major incidents that normally would have marred such an agreement".

He insisted that the agreement does not confine itself to a stoppage of the war.

"The peace atmosphere is here and a settlement will be the next," said Mr. Thamilchelvan.

Mr. Thamilchelvan suggested that it was logical that the ceasefire agreement had to be fully implemented before the next stage - direct talks between the parties.

He said the agreement was a product of lengthy arguments and discussions and the document was signed after much compromise on both sides.

He said it was the responsibility of both sides to implement all that was intended in the agreement.

"All that is enunciated there has to be implemented," said Mr. Thamilchelvan adding that the parties must not take unfulfilled matters to the negotiating table where other issues had to be taken up.

" All matters should be fulfilled during the period stipulated," he reiterated but cautioned several times that the word condition should be avoided.

In an obvious reference to the evacuation of troops by August 2 in keeping with the agreement Mr. Thamilchelvan said the internally displaced people who returned from the Wanni to go to their homes were told they could not go and occupy their homes.

"Many families which went to the peninsula from the Wanni have been disappointed,' he observed adding that a sense of normalcy cannot be restored if people were not allowed to go to their natural habitat- school, temple hospital and the like.

In an attempt to justify the need for restoring normalcy through an interim administration Mr. Thamilchelvan said the people there were languishing as a result of devastation.

"For them development is more important than the core issues," said Mr. Thamilchelvan.

On the recent violence between Tamils and Muslims in the East he said the process of reconciliation had begun and an assurance had been given to the Muslims. In a bid to dispel fears that the new wave of violence was bound to wreck relations between the communities in a future political arrangement Mr. Thamilchelvan said his leader had stated unequivocally that the "ancestral Muslims had the same right as the Tamils to the homeland."

"We are a nation of people who have suffered under majoritarian rule. We have learnt what oppression can be at the hands of the oppressed," said Mr. Thamilchelvan adding that the LTTE "will not be the oppressors of any minorities."

Courtesy - Daily Mirror