"It is futile to discuss political solutions with Prabhakaran" says TMVP leader

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)
Expressing the futility of attempting to negotiate peace with Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on a political solution a renegade leader of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE) speaking of his 22 years of knowledge with Prabhakaran said in Colombo that when at an international sponsored calm talks the LTTE delegate head agreed to accept a central system and issued a statement Prabhakaran rejected it and instructed them to drag the peace talks for five years as a means to accumulate more arms for war.
The TMVP leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, addressing the All Social Gathering Conference to discuss a following solution to the Sri Lankan conflict at the Presidential Secretariat summoned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday(Oct 11) said, " LTTE delegate leader Anton Balasingham, without consulting Prabhakaran had issued a statement stating that they were willing to think a federal system. When he discussed this with Prabhakaran he rejected the idea of federalism. He wanted the talks dragged for at least five years till the LTTE obtained sufficient arms to strengthen itself further."
Karuna Amman, who entered the Sri Lanka parliament recently under his true name Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan as the head of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), as a breakaway political party of the Tamil Tigers said the Tamil question has to be resolved separately without mixing it up with the Tamil Tigers and the only decree of the Tamil Tigers is to beat them militarily like in the country's Eastern Province. He was confident, he said they will be beaten very soon in the country's North.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the All Parry Conference repeated his call to the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender.
He said: "I wish to once again very obviously call on the LTTE to lay down their arms and surrender. They should act in this manner and enter the democratic political process. Our aim should be to ensure the democratic following rights of our Tamil brethren."
The President had summoned the All Party Conference to explain its members of the current developments with regard to the operations to eliminate terrorism, establish peace and reinstate democracy throughout the country.
"However hard it may be, it is my belief that the efforts to find political solutions to political issues should be continued. It is my belief that there are no military solutions to political questions. The people have chosen us to realize their aims and aspirations. It is our responsibility to ensure to the Tamil people of the North the similar democratic rights as enjoyed by the people min all other parts of the country. Military operations have become necessary to eradicate terrorism from the country and enthrone democracy throughout the land," the President said.
The leader of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TVMP) Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, further said he had been with the LTTE for more than 22 years; and with his experience knew that when the LTTE came forward seeking peace it was forever to further strengthen itself. On previous occasions, incumbent governments, possibly by mistake, had confident the LTTE by giving it arms and money.
He recalled his own participation in several rounds of talks with the Government held under international sponsorship. They had come to an understanding to accept a federal system as a solution. However, Anton Balasingham, without consulting Prabhakaran had issued a statement stating that they were willing to consider a federal system. When he discussed this with Prabhakaran he rejected the idea of federalism. He wanted the talks dragged for at least five years till the LTTE obtained enough arms to strengthen itself further.
That was when he decided to leave the LTTE. It was called a traitor for talking this decision, which was done after he had explained to Prabharakan the futility of the armed movement they were engaged in where at least 80,000 people had lost their lives.
He emphasized that it was necessary to defeat the LTTE militarily. This was necessary in the interests of the people of the North, who have already discarded the LTTE, but controlled by the military power of the organization.
He said the President had brought about many important changes in the East with free and fair elections and that all communities in the East were today participating in the development procedure there.