President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing a massive public rally at Getambe, near the hill capital Kandy appealed to defeat the conspiracy within and without the country to rejuvenate the dying Tiger by giving a thumping victory to the ruling party.
[ad#200×200] “There is a conspiracy to give oxygen within and without country to the dying Tiger; you can defeat the conspiracy by giving a thumping victory to the government at the elections,” said Rajapaksa in the midst of thunderous applause by the election rally for the Central Provincial Council, that has been described as a sea of heads.
Some analysts said the president’s reference was an attempt by certain quarters in Sri Lanka to impose a ceasefire between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are on the verge of complete military annihilation.
Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said the proposal about ceasefire at the verge of their military defeat was a ridiculous one and Tamil Tigers must lay down their arms and surrender.
In London Junior foreign minister Bill Rammell renewed a call for a ceasefire between Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), whose leaders have been offered an amnesty if they surrender.
“Our position remains that a political solution that addresses the legitimate concerns of all communities is the only way to bring a sustainable end to the conflict,” he said in a parliamentary debate on the conflict.
“We urge the LTTE to renounce terrorist methods and to demonstrate a genuine commitment to participate in a democratic political process to resolve the conflict.”
But in reply the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) January 10 attacked fleeing Tamil civilians escaping from war racked Puthukdiyirippu to the government controlled Udayarkattu and killed 19.
By Walter Jayawardhana