COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka government Jan 11 invited LTTE supremo Prabhakaran to come for talks after deciding not to extend the LTTE cease fire which came into effect on the New Year’s Day and expired on Thursday night.
Cabinet spokesman and minister of state for defence Ranjan Wiljeratne told a press conference here that the decision was taken after President Premadasa had detailed discussions with all registered political parties on Thursday night.
The government decided it could not further extend its suspension of offensive against the LTTE in view of the ceasefire violations by the militants 2 communiqué issued by the presidential secretariat released at the news conference said.
It said any future peace talks with the militant organisations must be with the militant leadership of the LTTE as well as the political wing.
The government even put forward certain conditions to be followed by the LTTE before any future talks against the LTTE demand for unconditional talks.
On this assessment the government is convinced the LTTE’s ceasefire has not been dictated by a genuine desire for peace but is a ruse to gain time to recoup their forces which are in absolute disarray it said.
Wiljeratne said the government’s interim response to the LTTE unilateral ceasefire with suspension of offensive against the LTTE was precisely to test whether the LTTE claim was genuine or not.
He said ail statements made by the LTTE so far had emanated from the so called political wing while it was the military wing of the LTTE that dictated action on the ground Therefore the government insists that in any further talks the military wing must represent the LTTE-
The government would however suspend its offensive against the Tigers if they responded positively to the government’s invitation to Prabhakaran with the preconditions the communiqué said.
When asked whether the security forces had already launched an offensive against the LTTE now that the government had decided not to extend it (ceasefire) further particularly in view of the LTTE Statement that it would continue with its indefinite ceasefire irrespective of the government response Wijeraine said the field commanders would decide whether or not to commence operations.
He also appealed to the LTTE to release all hostages and not take any more hostages and stop the torture and execution of captives and prisoners. He also told the LTTE not to use civilians in mine clearing operations and not recruit combat boys and girls below 15 years.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 18, 1991
