Government takes policy decision to abrogate failed CFA [Updated]
SL government has taken a policy decision today
(January 02) to abrogate the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) with the
LTTE, says official government sources.
Government defence spokesperson Minister Keheliya
Rambukwella speaking to defence.lk said that, the government has taken a
policy decision to not to have any further agreement with a terrorist
outfit since Norway facilitated 2002 CFA has failed. The decision was
made by the government following a proposal made by Prime Minister
Rathnasiri Wicramanayake, at the Cabinet meeting today.
"This decision came after taking into consideration
the fact that the CFA had ceased to have any meaning. It has been
pointed out that the LTTE has used the CFA to rearm, recruit, and to
prepare for further acts of terrorism. Political activists have pointed
out that the CFA is a flawed document and conflict resolution experts
argue that this faulty agreement often exacerbated the problem. Further
more it has been pointed out that the LTTE was not and could not have
been serious about negotiated settlements to the conflict", Minister
Rambukwella further stated.
Despite pledges made by the peace facilitators and
international community from the LTTE to renounce its separatist cause,
the outfit has violated the CFA over 10,000 occasions, Defence
Spokesperson said. Since the election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in
2005, the government has taken genuine attempts to bring the
internationally proscribed terrorist outfit to negotiations.
The LTTE withdrew during the Geneva and Oslo peace
talks in 2006. There was no genuine commitment from the LTTE to redress
the grievances of Tamils; the outfit used its self claimed slogan "sole
representative" to shade its brutality while, assassinating leading
Tamil political leaders including the late Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar.
Speaking further he said, the attempts made so far to
have a negotiated settlement with LTTE terrorists could bring no
favourable results. Therefore he said that the government views no point
of having any attempt to come to a settlement with a terrorist outfit as
the government is already in a negotiation process to address grievances
of Tamil people with Democratic Tamil political segments.
The February 2002 CFA agreement, in its Article 4
provides provision for either party to enter, amend or to terminate from
the agreement. Notice shall be given fourteen (14) days in advance of
the effective date of termination.
Conflict research experts say, the CFA legitimized the
claims of LTTE having under its control Kilinochchi, Mulaithiuvu,
sections of Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Jaffna Districts.
Article 4: Entry into force, amendments and termination of the
Agreement
4.1 Each Party shall notify its consent to be
bound by this Agreement through a letter to the Norwegian Minister of
Foreign Affairs signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe on
behalf of the GOSL and by leader Velupillai Pirabaharan on behalf
of the LTTE, respectively. The Agreement shall be initialled by each
Party and enclosed in the above-mentioned letter.
4.2 The Agreement shall enter into force on
such date as is notified by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4.3 This Agreement may be amended and modified
by mutual agreement of both Parties. Such amendments shall be notified
in writing to the RNG.
4.4 This Agreement shall remain in force until
notice of termination is given by either. Party to the RNG. Such notice
shall be given fourteen (14) days in advance of the effective date of
termination.
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