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| Sunday, 21 August 2005 |
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Interview with former Presidential Advisor Bradman Weerakoon : Peace talks: a priority The international community has to be appraised of the indiscriminate killings by the LTTE if we are to end the on going situation, former Presidential Advisor Bradman Weerakoon in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer said. Below are the excerpts of the interview. Q: Although the Cease fire Agreement exists the LTTE is violating it with impunity. Any comments? A: This is serious. The Government must complain to the respective international parties on such acts through the Norwegian mediators to avoid such happenings in the future. Q: The Government says, Minister Kadirgamar was killed by the LTTE. The authorities must focus more attention on the lives of such important figures. How do you respond to this? A: We must first identify who are the most vulnerable persons, involved in the peace process and they must be given full protection, by security intelligence services, if so the lives of these personnel cannot be destroyed and this nature of unfortunate incidents could be averted. Q: Talking about the recently signed P-TOMS agreement by the Government with the LTTE, some political parties in our country have scoffed at it saying the LTTE would one day violate the agreement and they will ultimately reap the benefits. What do you say about it? A: The initiation of the agreement has already been done by the Government in the presence of the international community. I think this is a very good start to work amicably with the LTTE in the future. Therefore, I doubt the LTTE would violate the agreement, reconstruction work is done for the welfare of their own people. Q: Whatever you say, if the LTTE violates the agreement as stated by the JVP and the JHU? A: Some political parties make various comments, saying that the LTTE would one day violate the agreement and therefore not to go ahead with it, but it is unethical to predict such a situation, considering the pathetic living conditions of a large number of tsunami victims in the North and East. Q: Anyhow, if such a situation arises in the future...? A: The prediction made by the JVP and the JHU about the violation of the agreement by the LTTE is a wrong impression. But, as you say if such a situation arises after commencing on the reconstruction work in that area, it is the responsibility of the Government to inform the international community about it and seek their views on how to go ahead with the agreement. Q: Will the international community then come to our rescue ? A: Yes. The international community could pressurise the LTTE to refrain from indulging in such activities in order to carry out the reconstruction work. Q: In addition to the JVP and the JHU, some other political movements such as the Patriotic National Movement (PNM), is also staging campaigns and public rallies over the signing of the P-TOMS agreement. What's your comment on this? A: When the former Government signed the Cease fire Agreement with the LTTE in order to stop the two decade old war, these so called political groups during that period also made numerous negative statements, but the agreement has so far shown positive results. Q: But there are some instances where the LTTE violated the Ceasefire Agreement. A: There may be a few incidents. The country is very lucky not to hear major bomb explosions or witness bodies of soldiers being brought to villages. Q: What are the other benefits, reaped by us with the signing of this P-TOMS agreement? A: This will not only help us to carry out the reconstruction work
in that area, but also be a turning point to restart the stalled peace talks
as we must resume peace talks as early as possible. (AK) |
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