Lanka Parliament debates Wickremesinghe's statement on peace process

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 11:16 GMT]
The special debate on the statement made by Sri Lanka's Prime Minister on the present state of peace process began Thursday morning in Sri Lankn parliament, parliamentary sources said. Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, foreign minister in the previous Peoples Alliance (PA) government opening the debate said the United National Front (UNF) government has converted the country as a playground for the foreigners by signing the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, sources added.

The leader of the opposition Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse requested for a special debate on Tuesday after the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made his statement on the peace process.

Mr.Rajapakse also wanted the debate to discuss the killings of police and army informants by the LTTE cadres and the rioting in Muttur recently including the PM statement on peace process, sources said.

Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar , a national list parliamentarian of the PA said the LTTE has signed the ceasefire agreement with the UNF government to achieve its objectives. "It is sad to see that the UNF government is not believing the executive presidency but believes the LTTE," said Mr.Kadirgamar, sources said.

He accused the UNF government for allowing foreign countries to undermine Sri Lanka's border.

Opening the debate from the UNF government side Minister of lands Mr.Rajitha Senaretna said the former foreign minister has failed to provide alternative to the present problems other than criticizing the ceasefire agreement. "The UNF government has the ability to change the clauses of the ceasefire agreement," said Minister Rajitha Senaratne, sources said.

The minister further said the international community has brought the LTTE to the negotiating table. The LTTE left the peace talks with the PA government in 1995 after it launched an attack on SLN Dvora vessel in Trincomalee harbour. The international community was not involved in the peace talks in 1995. Today's situation is very much different to that, Minister added.

The special debate is still in progress.