While strongly condemning the assassination of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, SPUR (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka) urged the international community to take tangible action against the LTTE and its overseas support network.

The group demanded that the International community: to be forthright in their condemnation of this brutal act against democracy and refrain from releasing glib statements that condemn the attack but avoid blaming the LTTE for dastardly acts. Nor would it be credible for requesting both parties to commit to peace talks when the LTTE continue to attack civilians, assassinate democratically elected parliamentarians and destroy places of religious worship such as the sacred Madu Church. Instead they should help Sri Lanka unconditionally to eradicate terrorism.

It also urged the main Opposition UNP not to treat the death of the Minister as an opportunity for political gain. Unite with the President to exterminate the perpetrators of this terror. Questions were raised by the late Minster on Saturday whether the UNP in partnership with the LTTE friendly Muslim leader Hakeem was planning to remerge the North and the East of Sri Lanka and carve a separate ethnic landmass for some communal minded Muslims in the East. The UNP owes it to the people of Sri Lanka to dispel this thesis and the best way it can give currency is by emphatically condemning the LTTE and joining other parties to form a united front against LTTE terrorism

It demanded INGO’s and NGO’s in Sri Lanka: to stop mollycoddling the LTTE and expose them for what they are by unreservedly condemning their actions. Some of these NGO’s such as the National Peace Council, International Alert and Centre for Policy Alternative are quick off the trigger to condemn the Government (or at times even go to court) to garner support from their foreign donors. Often their condemnation of LTTE terrorism is glib, rarely identifying the perpetrator by name.

The group called on the Sri Lankan Diaspora to act as one against terrorism and have an acute awareness of the parasitic anti national elements living amongst them but working hand in glove with the LTTE. The Diaspora must work to expose these individuals who are working to destroy the sovereign Sri Lankan nation state by spreading malicious half-truths