REPLY TO TNA MP MR. N. SRIKANTHA
I am surprised at the advice given to me early this week through the media by the TNA Member of Parliament Mr. N. Srikantha “to reconsider my political priorities in the interest of the Tamil cause instead of continuing to lend a helping hand to the Government’s Military strategy”. He made this remark in relation to the comments made by me rejecting a news report in one of the Tamil Dailies accusing the Penetrating and attacking Unit of the Sri Lankan Army, of causing the death of Mr. Sivanesan another TNA MP who was killed at a spot 20 miles deep inside the territory under the control of the LTTE. The TNA Members of Parliament and Mr. Nadesan the new Political Head of the LTTE also had made the same allegation. I stand by my statement that the MP had travelled about 170 miles from Colombo in areas under the full control of the army before entering the LTTE zone and why should the army take such a big risk and penetrate into the area under the control of the LTTE to target this Member who is an absolutely non-controversial person.
If what Mr. Srikantha expects from me is to confirm their charge against the forces, I am sorry I can’t do it, for my own conscience will not permit me to do so. I am not holding a brief to the Government Forces but at the same time I can’t try to bury a big pumpkin in a plate of rice. Every time something happens the Tamil print media and the TNA Members of Parliament promptly put the blame on the Forces and always exonerate the LTTE.
Off and on I had been finding fault with the forces when the civilians become casualties in their aerial attacks. Recently I condemned the Poonakary-Kiranchy incident and urged the forces to be more cautious about the presence of the civilians. At the same time I also found fault with the LTTE for locating their camps amidst civilian population. This is what everyone expects from a Senior politician, as pointed out by Mr. Srikantha. I will not fail to hold the seals evenly.
I want to ask Mr. Srikantha whether he ever condemned the LTTE for any of their killings of civilians. If not does he think that the LTTE is so innocent that they never cause the death of the civilians. Three days back at Wellawatte a poor beggar was killed in a bomb explosion in which four innocent school going kids were injured, let it be anybody’s children. On last Tuesday and Wednesday six fishermen had been abducted by an armed group while engaged in fishing in Mannar. Is this also the work of the Forces? Will Mr. Srikantha condemn these incidents. I am sure he will not dare to do so. This is the difference between a senior and experienced man who acts independently and one although senior and experienced have some compulsions to act against his own conscience. I plead with Mr. Srikantha and some Tamil media not to expose me to grave risk. I am a free man and certainly not any body’s stooge or yes-man.
V. Anandasangaree,
President – T.U.L.F.
