Government would not ban Tamil Tigers

By Walter Jayawardhana

Government insiders said the Sri Lanka government would not abrogate the Ceasefire Agreement, end the Norwegian government as facilitators of the peace process and ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as many have speculated.

Such speculations have been done after the LTTE sent its suicide bomber to assassinate the Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa last Friday unsuccessfully but killed at least three people in the attempt.

But the government is expected to introduce some tough measures, just short of a complete ban of the terrorist group, probably implementing some measures of the now dormant Prevention of terrorism laws, to curb the LTTE’s ability to send its suicide bombers to target government and civilian personnel, the same sources said.

Sri Lanka government insiders said it would implement everything possible to hamper the secretive terrorist activities unleashed against the civilians, government officials and military personnel but fall short of a complete ban of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam since they did not want to close all avenues to peace talks and the ceasefire agreement.

The cabinet is due to decide Wednesday what sanctions to impose on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam after a suspected rebel suicide bomber tried to kill Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s brother.

Two days before the United National Party, who have entered into a MOU with the government said through its Secretary General Tissa Attanayaka that the government should not do anything “emotional” (Avegakarai) and things that would give only temporary satisfaction (thavakalika thrupthiyadena) when the government’s Peace Secretariat requested the Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hansen Bauer to postpone his trip to Kilinochchi to meet the LTTE, on the instructions of the government.

A day before the cabinet meeting the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on further talks on their MOU between the UNP and the ruling SLFP.

Commenting on the talks UNP spokesman Joseph Michael Perera said nothing about Jon Hansen Bauers proposed trip to Kilinochchi or the aftermath of the suicide bombing was discussed between the two leaders.

In an interview with the BBC Sinhala service Sandeshaya Perera said such things are irrelevant as far as the MOU is concerned.

He said the UNP leader agreed to submit their proposals regarding the devolution of power before December 15, 2006.

He said how the government is engaged in war or other matters like that do not come under the purview of the MOU signed between the two parties.

Even matters like whether the government would ban the LTTE, that would have direct repercussions on the ceasefire agreement will be irrelevant until the government takes such a decision. He said it is another matter to take up such matters for discussions if such decisions have been taken already.  (EOM)

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