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| Saturday, 12 February 2005 |
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Politics | |
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| Nehru, Kaushalyan killers' intention to sabotage Ceasefire Agreement by Manjula Fernando and Nadira Gunatilleke Strongly condemning Monday's slaying of former Tamil Parliamentarian Chandra Nehru and LTTE Eastern leader Kaushalyan, the Government yesterday declared that the killers' intention were to sabotage the long intact Ceasefire Agreement. Responding to questions by the media at the weekly Cabinet briefing, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Mangala Samaraweera said: "We do not know who is behind the killings, but whoever did it wants to sabotage the ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the Government. This is a clear violation of the CFA." Minister Samaraweera said the Government was keen to pursue a political settlement to the ethnic issue and has always voiced its protest over the killing of Tamil political leaders. Nehru is the 14th Tamil MP to be assassinated within the past 25 years or so. "The first Tamil political leader to be killed was former Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah. Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvan was another victim. We condemn these political killings," he said stressing that they will take all measures to ensure such killings will not take place in the future. Responding to questions, the Minister expressed the hope that Monday's incident would not have a negative impact on the proposed joint arrangement for tsunami reconstruction in the North and East. Asked whether the killings would affect the on going talks on tsunami reconstruction in the North and East he said: "I hope not." He said the LTTE had acted responsibly following the death of their district leader and talks on the joint mechanism on reconstruction were still on. "The on going talks are distinct from the peace talks, but is hoped to pave the way for a clear understanding when the peace talks resume in the future," he said. |
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