Tamil political parties have issued statements condemning the LTTE’s suicide attack on Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, while calling on the political parties in the South not to fall prey to the LTTE’s trap of provoking a communal backlash.

TULF leader V.Anandasangaree in a statement referring to the suicide attack states, “It is now very clear that the LTTE has decided to disrupt the Peace Talks about which they were never serious. He adds that the LTTE is trying to take mean advantage of the present situation and to use it to their advantage to strengthen their position. He further states, “They can’t hoodwink the people and the international community.”

However, the TULF leader and the elder Tamil statesman adds “The country must realize that the Tamils of the North and the East who have settled among the Sinhalese are those who wanted to escape from the LTTE. The Sinhalese and the Forces in particular must show restraint and treat the Tamils who live with them with sympathy and protect them”. He appeals to the “Leadership in the South” to take his advice seriously and not to fall prey to the LTTE trap.

Secretary General of the EPRLF (Pathmanabha Group) T.Sritharan in a statement says that the suicide attack on the Army Commander once again demonstrates that the LTTE is neither interested in the Peace Process nor in the interest of the Tamil people. “They are striving to create another 1983 in this country through such shameful and despicable acts so as to wean back into their fold, the Tamil people whose support they have been losing in recent times. Similarly they are seeking to win the sympathy of the international community by placing the Tamil people in an extremely vulnerable situation.” Sritharan further states that the Tamil people have suffered immensely over the past 25 years. “Neither the Tamils, Sinhalese nor the Muslims are prepared to undergo any further suffering and deprivations. What the ordinary people want is an existence that guarantees human rights and democratic norms.” He called on the International Community to exert maximum pressure and impose sanctions on the LTTE.

A spokesman for the EPDP condemned the LTTE’s suicide attack as yet another act of terrorism, which must be condemned by all sections of society and the international community.