Eksath Sinhala Party (ESP) has backed President Chandrika Kumaratunga's recent action.
(The following is the full text of a statement issued by the ESP:

We are facing a stage when the LTTE is on the verge of making a unilateral declaration of an internally self governing authority over eight districts under the North and East provinces. This amounts to over one third of the country. We note that the security forces have been weakened and demoralized under Norwegian manipulated MoU. There is widespread anarchy all over the country.

Over 15 LTTE ship loads of arms have been smuggled into the country under cover of the MoU with the tacit understanding of the Norwegian led monitors. On these, only two ships have been interdicted and destroyed by the Navy. The last ship suspected got away as it was alerted by the SLMM monitors who accompanied the Navy ship detailed to apprehend the rogue ship. This was admitted by SLMM leader. As a result, the President was compelled to send the SLMM leader out of the country. The complacency of the Minister of Defence who has yet to send his report on this matter to the President after more than two weeks of the event cannot be understood. It is very clear that the Defence Minister who delegated his authority to his Secretary, to order the Naval Forces to carry SLMM members on such vital missions has to be held responsible for his indiscretion. The security of the country is at stake.

Over the last year or so, the crime rate in the country has gone up tremendously. Over 39 members of the intelligence corps have been killed by the LTTE in areas under the control of the Government. Tamil political parties have complained to the police and the SLMM that over 100 of their district leaders have been murdered by LTTE in various parts of the country. Even in the South, many regional political leaders have been brutally killed during the last few months. The police have been unable to apprehend the culprits. In fact, it is ironical that the last IGP was caught attending a birthday party thrown by a leading member of the underworld drug barons. The Minister of Internal Security, even after this exposure had recommended the extension of services of this officer long after his retiring age. The Minister must take responsibility for the deteriorating internal security situation in the country.

The Media Minister was instrumental in sending gangs to damage the Government Press and preventing the publication of Gazette. The instructions of the President have been totally ignored. This was not only uncalled for, but was totally demeaning and verges on creating anarchy.

We hold the dictum that a ruler must either govern or get out. This is no time for divide and rule tactics of the colonialists. We strongly commend the steps taken by the President to take over the Ministries of Defence and Security, Internal Security and Media under her charge.

We hope that she will strengthen her hands to ensure the security and territorial integrity of our country and to bring law and order by inviting all leaders of political parties who uphold the Constitution of the country and are prepared to work in the interest of the whole country.

Communalism and sectarianism has no place when faced with the threat of our existence.