Sinhala leaders tried to suppress the free expression of Tamil leaders for Fifty years

Abrogate CFA if you want war, JVP told

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=12971

[TamilNet, September 25, 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."