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EU asks Tigers to renounce violence `once and for all`
Colombo, Nov 26: The European Union today asked the Tamil Tigers to renounce violence `once and for all` even as the rebel Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran said he was committed to the Sri Lanka peace process.
Colombo, Nov 26: The European Union today asked
the Tamil Tigers to renounce violence "once and for all" even
as the rebel Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran said he was
committed to the Sri Lanka peace process.
After meeting Prabhakaran in the rebel capital of
Kilinochchi, the visiting EU External Relations Commissioner
Chris Patten told reporters here that the international
community expected the guerrillas to turn their backs on
violence "once and for all".
"Whatever happened in the past, the international community expects the LTTE to turn its back on violence and commit itself to the peace process," Patten said.
He also had a briefing with India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Nirupam Sen after meeting Prabhakaran who turned 49 today, but did not disclose details of his parleys.
He said Sen had a wealth of experience on the Sri Lankan issue and they could benefit from his knowledge. Sen was the Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo during the height of the Indian peace keeping force operations. Patten who returned here today after a 75 minute meeting with Prabhakaran said the rebel leader pledged his commitment to the peace process.
"He said six times in the one and a quarter hour meeting that his LTTE were committed to the peace process and expects to reach a satisfactory conclusion," Patten said.
The envoy was critical of LTTE's recruitment of child soldiers, some of whom have been sent as suicide bombers.
"I think Sri Lanka deserves peace. I hope politicians in Colombo and the LTTE will work for peace," he said adding all sections of Sri Lanka "from the top to bottom" want peace.
Asked if he was optimistic that the latest moves would help end three decades of ethnic bloodshed that has claimed over 60,000 lives, Patten said he was by nature "moderately optimistic with a tinge of realism." Patten said he had also made it "plain" to Prabhakaran that if violence broke out again, it would attract "implacable criticism of the international community."
The Tiger leader said a choice of war or peace rests with the Colombo government.
"Our leader Velupillai Prabhakaran told Patten it is not at all in the hands of the liberation Tigers to ensure that there is no return to violence," Tiger political wing leader S P Thamilselvan was quoted by the pro-rebel Tamilnet.Com website as saying.
"It is completely up to the Sinhala polity to see there is no return to war," Thamilselvan added.
Prabhakaran assured Patten that his LTTE, which has been fighting to set up a separate homeland for the island's Tamil minority, would continue to work with all local and international parties interested in peace.
"Prabhakaran also told the EU delegation that the Tamil people who have paid a supreme price during the two decades of war should not be made pawns in the power game that is going on in Colombo," Thamilselvan said.
Patten's visit comes amid a political stand-off between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe which led Norway to suspend its mediation efforts to end three decades of war.
Patten leaves for Chennai tomorrow on his way to attend the EU-India Summit in New Delhi. Bureau Report
"Whatever happened in the past, the international community expects the LTTE to turn its back on violence and commit itself to the peace process," Patten said.
He also had a briefing with India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Nirupam Sen after meeting Prabhakaran who turned 49 today, but did not disclose details of his parleys.
He said Sen had a wealth of experience on the Sri Lankan issue and they could benefit from his knowledge. Sen was the Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo during the height of the Indian peace keeping force operations. Patten who returned here today after a 75 minute meeting with Prabhakaran said the rebel leader pledged his commitment to the peace process.
"He said six times in the one and a quarter hour meeting that his LTTE were committed to the peace process and expects to reach a satisfactory conclusion," Patten said.
The envoy was critical of LTTE's recruitment of child soldiers, some of whom have been sent as suicide bombers.
"I think Sri Lanka deserves peace. I hope politicians in Colombo and the LTTE will work for peace," he said adding all sections of Sri Lanka "from the top to bottom" want peace.
Asked if he was optimistic that the latest moves would help end three decades of ethnic bloodshed that has claimed over 60,000 lives, Patten said he was by nature "moderately optimistic with a tinge of realism." Patten said he had also made it "plain" to Prabhakaran that if violence broke out again, it would attract "implacable criticism of the international community."
The Tiger leader said a choice of war or peace rests with the Colombo government.
"Our leader Velupillai Prabhakaran told Patten it is not at all in the hands of the liberation Tigers to ensure that there is no return to violence," Tiger political wing leader S P Thamilselvan was quoted by the pro-rebel Tamilnet.Com website as saying.
"It is completely up to the Sinhala polity to see there is no return to war," Thamilselvan added.
Prabhakaran assured Patten that his LTTE, which has been fighting to set up a separate homeland for the island's Tamil minority, would continue to work with all local and international parties interested in peace.
"Prabhakaran also told the EU delegation that the Tamil people who have paid a supreme price during the two decades of war should not be made pawns in the power game that is going on in Colombo," Thamilselvan said.
Patten's visit comes amid a political stand-off between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe which led Norway to suspend its mediation efforts to end three decades of war.
Patten leaves for Chennai tomorrow on his way to attend the EU-India Summit in New Delhi. Bureau Report