Abrogate CFA if you want war, JVP told

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 September 2004, 10:32 GMT]
"You embarked on a loose, infantile armed struggle and butchered thousands if youth, and you have now come here praising virtues of democracy. The Tigers are fighting for the rights of their people. If it is not for the CeaseFire Agreement (CFA) Sri Lanka would have been destroyed by now," said UNP MP for Puttalam District, Mr. Ekanayake, speaking in Parliament Friday on the adjournment motion presented by Trincomalee District JVP MP, Jayantha Wijesekera, parliamentary sources said. The motion condemned the abduction of two Homeguards by the LTTE and demanded their release.

Ekanayake further stated in his speech, "If you contend that killings are taking place because of the ceasefire agreement (CFA), you can easily destroy the CFA. It is your government that has agreed to abide by the CFA.

"This country needs peace, but the JVP wants war. The CFA has brought about a respite, but the JVP insists that it should be annulled. Even the Sri Lanka's President Ms. Kumaratunge has accepted the ceasefire and reiterated it in her UN speech. If you approach the President to call for talk, you are likely to be thrown out.

"Address the underlying causes for the national question and resolve the problems of the Tamils instead of propagating racism and inciting war."

Ekanayake speaking further stated that the JVP targeted him too, but he escaped death at their hands with great difficulty. He then expressed his sorrow that the JVP killed some of his friends.

UNP Member of Parliament, Lionel Premasiri speaking on the same motion said, "Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians are lobbying for peace, interim administration, because they are very much affected by the war. What right then has the JVP to submit this motion demanding the release of the Homeguards? Instead, JVP should come forward to solve the national question and most problems will be resolved. Fifty years ago Sinhala leaders tried to suppress the free expression of Tamil leaders. This triggered the ascendency of the Tigers and the war broke out."