Thursday, 5th February 2009
Crisis in Sri Lanka - letter to editor
Dear Sir,
A great many people are demanding that the Sri Lankan government call a ceasefire and enter into dialogue with the Tamil Tigers, but Defence Secretary Rajapaksa has rejected the calls and stated that his government will only accept an unconditional surrender by the rebels.
I have some sympathy with the Sri Lankan government's position. The Tamil Tigers have been offered many opportunities in the past to lay down their arms and enter into dialogue, but each time they have used the ceasefires as a chance to rearm and regroup their forces.
Only last week the rebels used a 48 hour ceasefire agreed by the government to launch suicide attacks on frontline Sri Lankan troops. So I fully understand the Sri Lankan government's reluctance to negotiate further.
Of course it is a tragedy that innocent civilians are being killed, but the rebels have it within their power to stop the killing immediately. They should lay down their arms without delay and take advantage of the Sri Lankan government's promise to offer an amnesty - at least to lower ranking rebels - who will be given vocational training and re-integrated into mainstream Sri Lankan society.
STRUAN STEVENSON, MEP
