With that announcement, there were reports that the government seeks a military solution. But foreign Minister Rohitha Bogalagama denied this statement and stated that the government has no intention of capturing the north.

But at a felicitation ceremony held in Trincomalee Naval Head quarters on September 17th, Gothabaya Rajapaksa made a remark in the very presence of President Mahinda Rajaopakse stressing the need for a military solution.

‘We are ready to defeat terrorism using military power rather than depending on political solution which we find difficult to reach right now’ thus he remarked at the function.

“ So, if we want 100% peace in the country all of us know what steps should be taken in the future to achieve that” he further stated. He was hinting at a military solution.

Thus, Gothabaya Rajapakse has made it clear that the government of President Rajapakse is committed for a military solution.

It is appropriate to recall what V.Pirapakaran, the LTTE leader, told 10 months ago in his historic address at the Martyrs’ Day.

“The government doesn’t want to resolve the Tamil problem in a civilized manner through peaceful means. It wants to create starvation and poverty and starve the Tamils to death. It wants to commit acts of genocide. It wants to unleash violence, intensify the war and thereby it is determined to make the Tamils slaves.

Like all Sinhala leaders Rajaopakse, too, believes in military strength, military approach and in a military solution. He is playing for time by adopting a hard line.

His government wants to determine the destiny of the Tamil people through the military strength of the government.” Thus stated Pribakanran in his speech. The international community cannot anymore wait for a negotiated political solution.

An English translation of the Editorial in the Sudar Oli, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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