Government takes policy decision to abrogate failed CFA

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 Rajapakse 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 Laxman 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 singed 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.