NATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST TERRORISM
380 Baudaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Srilanka
Tel: 075 348331; Tel/Fax:075 350032

20 September 1999

TIGER MASSACRES AMIDST PEACE CARNIVALS

Once again the LTTE have displayed their cruel and inhuman nature by the brutal massacre of about 60 unarmed innocent Sinhala Villagers in the Gonagala and Uhana areas in the Ampara district.

According to the information received upto now 31 males, 15 females, 2 pregnant mothers and 14 children have been hacked to death. In addition these terrorists have looted the belongings of these innocent people.

Amongst those killed included 14 persons of the same family who had gathered at a house to organize an almsgiving for a person who himself had been killed by the LTTE 3months ago. The dead also included 12 persons who had come to participate at a wedding.

During the past 16years the LTTE launched several attacks on the Sinhala civilian community, and this is the 131st such incident. It is clear that this is one more incident in their attempts to eliminate the majority community this country to achieve EELAM in the North & East.

Certain parties in the south are agitating that peace talks should commence with these Tiger terrorists despite the fact that they continue to hound out the innocent Sinhala population in the North and East. These bogus peace makers who include Kamburupitiye Vajira, Tissa Vitharana, Carlo Fonseka, Jehan Perera, Lalith Kotalawela. Ken Balendra, Rajan Asirwathan
are through NGO's and similar Organizations clamouring for a cease-fire.  Does any of these people condemn or take responsibility for such barbaric acts by the LTTE. Similarly will A.T. Ariyaratne of Sarvodaya who is activating a Peace Campaign in the South take responsibility or condemn such acts of violence? In the same manner certain organizations led by
Dilan Perera and the likes should be responsible for these acts.

In the past 16years the LTTE have massacred 617 Sinhala persons in 26 villages including 30 Buddhist monks. Further more 1337 sinhalese persons have been injured or gone missing. Even the Muslim community in the Ampara district have suffered 11 attacks with the 540 persons murdered.

According to the UN standards massacres of 06 persons or less does not come under mass killings. There have been 112 such attacks in the Ampara District alone with 217 being killed.

The two major political parties, the PA and the UNP, who are both trying to find a political solution for this issue should be responsible for the lives of these innocent people. The Government cannot escape from responsibility by merely issuing statements and granting financial assistance for funeral arrangements.

On 17th Sep.1999 school children in the South were taken on Peace marches by bogus peace makers with the blessing of the government, whilst innocent school children in the east are being murdered. What do these Peace Makers have to say?

During the 5year rule of the PA Government about 1000 innocent villagers and 10,000 members of the armed forces have been brutally murdered.  At the same time the Government is spending millions of public funds to celebrate 5years of Governance.

In the meantime, Lalith Kotalawela and Ranil Wickremasinghe are believed to be having secret discussions with the LTTE in Ireland, offering unlimited devolution of power to them.

It is surprising that the JVP who protested outside the US Embassy during the American attacks on Bosnia and Sudan are maintaining a deafening silence when the innocent Sinhala Villagers of their own country are brutally murdered.

We have repeatedly said there is no solution to this problem until and unless the TIGERS (LTTE) are completely wiped out which could be done only through war and not through any other means.

Hence we finally emphasize that all persons who wish to safeguard the integrity of this country should fight for the eradication of these Tigers by coming together in one common platform.

Kamal Deshapriya
Coordinating Secretary
On behalf of the media committee NMAT

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