Sihala Urumaya leader Tilak Karunaratne yesterday urged people not to join the so-called campaign for peace scheduled to take place at noon, today.

The following is the full text of Mr. Karunaratne’s statement: For the last two weeks or so a series of paid advertisements have appeared in both the print and electronic media inviting people to join hands on the 19th of September for peace.

"We do not know the financiers of this campaign but it certainly would not be the trade associations and the prominent personalities who have lent their names to these advertisements. Therefore we would like to inquire from these associations and individuals as to who are bankrolling this treacherous campaign? Peace is indeed the need of the hour but joining hands or flying kites would not usher in peace which can be only be achieved by destroying LTTE terrorism.

"The US Secretary of State, General (a real General unlike some we have) Colin Powell said at a press briefing after the dastardly attacks of the 11th, ‘the US government shall undertake a worldwide effort to build a coalition against all forms of terrorism, wherever it may occur and however it rears its ugly head’. The LTTE is one of the thirty one organizations proscribed under the US federal law. Referring to these organizations Gen. Powell said ‘United States considers terrorism to be unacceptable regardless of the political status or the ideological purpose.

There is no way one could negotiate with these terrorists, they have to be routed; they have to be destroyed’.

"The biggest markets for our exports whether apparels or any other (including tea) are the USA, members of the EU and Russia. These countries are getting together to form a grand alliance to eradicate all terrorist organizations including the LTTE. Therefore are we going to go against their hardened attitude towards terrorism and jeopardize our exports? What a folly is this to join hands to promote the very terrorists the world community is getting ready to destroy?

"Dear Dr. Ariyaratne, Sanath, Susanthika, Bathiya and Santhush you are misinformed and misguided by an organization that has a different agenda. We call upon you not to betray the country and the nation. Dave Whatmore (Whatmore indeed when he gets a princely salary and other perks a cricket coach could never dream of!) has no business to interfere in our internal affairs. He must stick to what he knows best–cricket.

"We urge upon all citizens of Sri Lanka not to join this pro-LTTE campaign, instead we must get together to force the government to take all necessary steps to destroy LTTE terrorism and usher in peace".