PM meets prelates

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 April 2002, 16:02 GMT]
The Prime Minister Saturday told the prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters in Kandy that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cannot open political offices outside the North-east province. "It will be a violation of the cease-fire agreement signed by the government and the LTTE if the latter decided to open its offices in other parts of the country," Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe said in reply to Mahanayake Theras when they questioned him about the news reports that LTTE is to open its office in Wellawatte, Colombo on Monday.

Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe during his visit to Kandy Saturday morning briefed the prelates on the progress of the peace process brokered by Norwegians.

The Prime Minister requested the assistance of the two Mahanayake Theras to obtain the support of the opposition to take the peace process forward without any obstacles.

Mr.Wickremasinghe told that he is also cognizant of the views expressed by the Mahanayake Theras that the motherland concept of the LTTE is not acceptable. "However it is an accepted fact that the military power in several areas in the North-east province lies with the LTTE," the Prime Minister reminded the prelates.

LTTE took arms as a means to confront problems facing the Tamil community. However, the LTTE is now trying to enter the main stream of democratic politics. When the LTTE has chosen the path of peace it is the duty of all to support the government's efforts. The Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP ) which took arms in the past also have entered into the democratic mainstream politics, stressed Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe.

Referring to the present cease-fire agreement between the UNF government and LTTE, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe said such agreements existed earlier under the regimes of late President Premadasa and the incumbent President Chandrika Kumaratunge.