by Shamindra Ferdinando
Claiming that LTTE-led protests in government held areas in the north-east lead to violence, the joint opposition wants the Oslo-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to ban such protests.

Expressing serious concern over a spate of incidents in the east, particularly in Trincomalee on Friday subsequent to Wednesday’s bloody clashes at Kanjirankudah, the opposition stressed "there must be an immediate end to these protests".

The LTTE regularly ‘deploys’ civilians including large numbers of students in protests in areas outside its control. Their recent protests in Valaichchenai led to many deaths among Muslims, the opposition said, adding that the Kanjirankudah incident would not have occurred if the SLMM acted firmly when LTTE staged violent protests and attacks on the army’s Point Pedro Brigade Headquarters on September 2, Valaichchenai police on October 1 and the EPDP’s Delft office on October 5.

The opposition said there was no point in the SLMM calling for restraint if it does not want to take a tougher stance on LTTE-inspired violent protests aimed at provoking the security forces.

United National Front (UNF) constituent SLMC was also critical of the way the SLMM handles complaints against the LTTE. SLMC leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem last Thursday publicly expressed concern, describing the SLMM’s action on complaints made by the Muslims as "inadequate".

The opposition claimed these protests were a part of the LTTE’s strategy in government administered parts in the north-east aimed at crippling civil administration.

"They want chaos," the Sihala Urumaya said. It would be to their advantage to destabilise these areas, the SU said. "We want to remind the government that all these incidents take place in areas under its control," the SU said, expressing disbelief that the government cannot see the LTTE’s strategy.

The opposition said it wants the government to act now. The US, UK, the Commonwealth and the EU must be informed of the situation. As a part of the opposition plan to press the government and the SLMM to act now, the SLFP, JVP, MEP and NUA last Wednesday agreed on a stepped up protest campaign.

SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena (MP), JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena (MP) and NUA leader Mrs. Ferial Ashraff (MP) signed the agreement on behalf of their respective parties. Jathika Bhikkhu Peramuna, Inter-University Bhikkhu Balamandalaya, the National Joint Committee, University Teachers for Unitary State and the Students for the Protection of the Motherland also joined the nationalist grouping.

Subsequent to their agreement, the leaders said they were in a dilemma over the way the peace process is being handled. Referring to the events taking place in areas under government control in the north-east subsequent to the cease-fire pact, they claimed that the country was heading towards a perilous situation.

They were of the view that the agreement allowed the LTTE to spread its ‘tentacles’ to areas under state control and also to justify its illegal rule. Forced conscription of children, extortion, expansion of its so-called banking, judicial and police ‘systems’ and the obvious bolstering of its political and military power pose a grave threat, they asserted. They also expressed the belief that the LTTE takes advantage of the cease-fire agreement to suppress political opposition. The attack on the EPDP’s Delft office on October 5 was a part of the LTTE’s strategy to cripple opposition political activity in the north-east while restricting the TULF-led Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to Colombo.

They strongly condemned the decisions taken at the first round of talks in Thailand to involve the LTTE in rehabilitation, reconstruction and development work in the north-east and set up a joint committee to review the existing High Security Zones (HSZs). They were critical of the government’s apparent willingness to establish an LTTE-dominated interim administration in the north-east, claiming that the government is paving the way for a separate state in the north-east.