US to LTTE: Commit fully to peace

[February 13, 2003 - 10.00 GMT]

The United States has urged the LTTE to commit itself fully to peace. In a statement issued February 12, the U.S. embassy said, “ We urge the LTTE (The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to commit itself fully to peace and desist from arms re-supply efforts”.

“The apparent attempt to smuggle arms into Sri Lanka during the course of the peace process was highly destabilizing and could call into question the Tigers’ stated wish to pursue a negotiated settlement,” the statement said.

Three LTTE rebels set their boat on fire and blew themselves up last week after the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission; the neutral truce monitors, discovered them carrying an anti-aircraft gun, several hundred rounds of ammunition and hand grenades.

The United States has launched a war against terror since the September 11 attacks and has come down strongly on terrorist activities. The Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE have been observing a ceasefire agreement since February last year.

The rebels' sincerity has come under increasing scrutiny since the sea-suicide incident amidst continuing reports of child recruitment. 

The U.S. embassy statement praised the two sides for taking up human rights issues at a fifth round of talks in Berlin last week.

On the Tigers' pledge to work with the U.N. children’s' agency UNICEF to end child recruitment, the embassy noted, "Regarding child soldiers, the LTTE has promised on several occasions in the past that it would end this odious practice; we expect the Tigers to honour their pledge."

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Last Updated Date: February 13, 2003  - 10.00 GMT.