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•  SLFP-JVP demand a non starter

LTTE rejects renegotiating MoU

By Frederica Jansz 

The LTTE last week said it will not re-negotiate the present Memorandum of Understanding signed between its Leader, Vellupillai Pirapaharan and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on February 21, 2002.

Head, LTTE Peace Secretariat, S. Puleedevan said the LTTE has every intention of honouring the ceasefire agreement it has signed with the United National Front (UNF) government. He asserted that even after April 2, the Tigers have no intention of changing or altering the existing agreement.

"As far as the LTTE is concerned, the MoU is between the government and the LTTE.We are not concerned with the statements of a political party that has just become democratic. Wimal Weerawansa has no authority to state that the ceasefire agreement does not exist," Puleedevan said in response to statements made by JVP Propaganda Secretary, Wimal Weerawansa.

The LTTE, he reiterated, would not be drawn into a political confrontation with the new alliance, the United People's Freedom Party (UPFA), despite Weerawansa stating that as far as the JVP is concerned, no ceasefire agreement with the Tigers exists.

Puleedevan added that the LTTE continues to remain fully committed to the peace process."We are only waiting for the political situation in the south to resolve itself and then we are ready to begin negotiations again," he said.

Asked if the LTTE is willing to negotiate with the new alliance in the event it were to win the April 2 general election, Puleedevan replied, "We are willing to negotiate with any party that comes into power."

However, the LTTE position that it should be recognised as the sole representative of the Tamils is also non-negotiable for talks to resume.

He reiterated that if the JVP helps form a new government in April, it would not serve to deter the Tigers from negotiating a political settlement to the ethnic conflict. Until then, he said, the LTTE has every intention of honouring the ceasefire.

Weerawansa however continues to insist that no ceasefire agreement exists with the Tigers.

Weerawansa maintains that the ceasefire agreement signed between the government and the LTTE has been limited to the document only, as the Tigers have during the time of the ceasefire continued to kill "hundreds of opponents, including officers of military intelligence and members of parties against the Tigers."

The SLFP/JVP alliance meanwhile has already displayed a clearly division of opinion where the ethnic issue is concerned.

The new alliance differs drastically on the matter of the ceasefire agreement, the interim administration proposals and the devolution of power.

While the JVP maintains that a ceasefire agreement with the LTTE does not exist, the SLFP/PA disagrees.The SLFP/PA assert that the interim administration proposals will be re-negotiated if they win administrative power while the JVP maintains the ISGA proposals must be thrown into the waste bin.

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