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SRI LANKA PRIME MINISTER TELLS PARLIAMENT THAT TAMIL TIGERS ARE BRACING FOR A CHEMICAL WARBy Walter JayawardhanaSri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said that the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam contravening all international laws is bracing
for a chemical war. “We have evidence the Tamil Tigers have plans to use chemical
weapons against the Sri Lankan security forces,” said the Prime
Minister addressing the country’s parliament seeking its permission
to extend the emergency regulations that gives extra powers above regular
laws to the government to quell the insurgency of the group. He said LTTE operatives have been detected transporting large quantities
of acid for the manufacturing of chemical weapons but did not mention
to which chemical weapons category the planned weapons belonged. Chemical weapons have been broadly categorized as blistering agents
, choking agents , blood agents and nerve agents. Lack of adequate detection, the low cost of purchase, the terrifying
effects on the conventional armies they incur and high casualties the
weapons cause have become causes for terrorist groups to be lured to
chemical weapons. The Prime Minister further addressing the parliament said the LTTE
is seen taking their attacks close to Omanthai and Mannar and said this
time the government would not let the LTTE use innocent civilians as
their protective shields like they did in the Eastern Province. He said the LTTE has not stopped harassing civilians and killing members
of other Tamil political parties in the areas where they operate. He said the government security forces were ready to stop the great
devastation the LTTE was getting prepared. 88 Members voted for the extension of the emergency regulations including
the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the Janata Vimukti Peramuna, the Jathika
Hela Urumaya, The Muslim Congress, the Ceylon Workers Congress, the
Upcountry People’s Front and the United National Party (Democratic
Wing). The proxy party of the LTTE, the Tamil National Congress (12)
voted against. The United National Party led by Ranil Wickremesinghe
declined to vote with their new allies of Mangala Samaraweera. |
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