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Tigers Invite Muslim Leadership For Talks….slate CBK.

LTTE Political Wing leader S.Thamilchelvan has told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesssen today that the Muslim leadership must have talks with the LTTE towards considering their grievances and possibly accommodating them in the Joint Memorandum.

Thamilchelvan charged today that President Kumaratunga's "proclamations alone were not sufficient to alleviate the sufferings of the Tsunami hit people in the North-East province."

A spokesman for the LTTE in Kilinochchi said Thamilchelvan came down hard on Kumaratunga saying " the people had already reached the very extremes of suffering and tolerance. Furthermore, he said, the people have been waiting for over 20 years of the war to get back to normalcy.

Helgesen is reported to have told Thamilchelvan that the government wanted a few more assurances before aid began flowing from the $3.5 billion foreign aid for Tsunami reconstruction .

What was essential today was to salvage the peace process, he said adding that this was being threatened seriously by cease-fire violations, for the CFA is the key to the entire peace process and if that is hijacked by scheming elements, then there is no useful purpose in the Joint Mechanism or any mechanism for that matter." Tamilselvan said.

He expressed disgust over the armed groups sponsored by the SL Military intelligence units and urged that the case of post-war resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, resettlement and development must not be placed on the back burner.He urged the facilitators to interact with the government to bring about an attitudinal change in Colombo.

Sixty representatives from civilian organizations presented a memorandum to the Norwegian Ambassador expressing Tamil concern over the developing trend in the south. The memorandum recalled " many deceptions heaped on the Tamil people during the past and the growing race hatred and religious fanaticism that is posing a serious threat to communal harmony, in the south.

Tigers Invite Muslim Leadership For Talks….slate CBK.

LTTE Political Wing leader S.Thamilchelvan has told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesssen today that the Muslim leadership must have talks with the LTTE towards considering their grievances and possibly accommodating them in the Joint Memorandum.

Thamilchelvan charged today that President Kumaratunga's "proclamations alone were not sufficient to alleviate the sufferings of the Tsunami hit people in the North-East province."

A spokesman for the LTTE in Kilinochchi said Thamilchelvan came down hard on Kumaratunga saying " the people had already reached the very extremes of suffering and tolerance. Furthermore, he said, the people have been waiting for over 20 years of the war to get back to normalcy. Helgesen is reported to have told Thamilchelvan that the government wanted a few more assurances before aid began flowing from the $3.5 billion foreign aid for Tsunami reconstruction .

What was essential today was to salvage the peace process, he said adding that this was being threatened seriously by cease-fire violations, for the CFA is the key to the entire peace process and if that is hijacked by scheming elements, then there is no useful purpose in the Joint Mechanism or any mechanism for that matter." Tamilselvan said.

He expressed disgust over the armed groups which he claimed are being sponsored by the SL Military intelligence units and urged that the case of post-war resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, resettlement and development must not be placed on the back burner.He urged the facilitators to interact with the government to bring about an attitudinal change in Colombo.

Ferial will not Quit Government.

The National Unity Alliance lead by Ferial Ashroff will not leave the government even if Muslim aspirations are not included in Tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation structure. NUA leader Ferial Ashroff said "why should we leave the government ? There won't be any JM signed without the inclusion of Muslim aspirations".

Cegu Izzadeen of the National Unity Alliance told the web site Lankamuslims that they do not seek to withdraw their support from the government as they were confident that the President will do justice to the Muslim minority.

He also added that the President stated she was convinced that the Muslims must be a equal signatory in the Joint Mechanism in talks with Muslim MP's.

However, the President had said she would pass this request to the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam through the Norwegian officials.The Norwegian delegation however returned after talks with the LTTE in Kilinochchi empty handed. Thamilchelvan had told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen that the Muslim leadership should initiate talks with the LTTE to sort out Muslim rights in the JM.

Mr.Izzadeen, the Deputy Minister of Media and Information said he was confident that the LTTE wwould respect the request of the Muslim minority.

Meanwhile, Cegu Izzadeen said that the NUA ministers will not quit the government even if the muslim aspirations are not included in the P-TOM.

"The government and the president are doing the best to accommodate the Muslim representation and if a problem arises, it will only be because of the LTTE so we see no relevance in quitting the government" he added.

However, LTTE sources claimed that the Norwegian officials who visited the LTTE delegation did not bring any decisive message from the government. More...