Rajiva Wijesinha

“ Given continuing intransigence, and continuing terrorist attacks, given the use made internationally of the CFA when many foreign governments are supporting Sri Lanka by trying to stop terrorist funding, the government has decided finally to call a halt to such abuse. But the opposition can only use this too as an opportunity to suggest to the international community that the government is ‘blood-thirsty and war-mongering’. ”

“ More significantly, its funding was restricted, at least in those countries that have been serious about the fight against terrorism. Whether or not Canada and Switzerland and the Netherlands and Germany and Sweden and of course Norway follow the admirable example of France and the United Kingdom and the United States and Australia and even Denmark in instituting prosecutions against terrorist funding will not depend on the CFA, it will depend on the will of politicians to put their mouths where the money of the LTTE is flowing. ”

“ Now that military intelligence has been rebuilt, now that the armed forces are able to perform professionally, UNP logic would demand abrogation of the CFA. However, the government continued for nearly four years after the rejection by the electorate of the UNP to abide by the CFA, under both Presidents Kumaratunga and Rajapakse, in the hope that the LTTE would return to talks. ”