The administration of President Mahinda Rajapakse has said it is ready to meet with the rebels to ensure that the country's 2002 Norwegian-brokered cease-fire holds and that grievances of the ethnic minority Tamils are met.

``It is a great mistake if anyone believes that our decisions can be altered by means of terror,'' Rajapakse was quoted as saying by the state-run Daily News.

``Even today I would like to tell the people that we are still ready and committed to solve this problem in a peaceful manner by demonstrating our patience,'' he said.

On Saturday, a suspected Tamil Tiger rebel rammed an explosive-laden fishing boat into a navy vessel off northeastern Sri Lanka, killing 13 sailors in a suicide attack and raising fears that the country could slide back into civil war.

The latest attack brought the death toll in a recent wave of attacks on security forces to 58 since Dec. 4.

Authorities have blamed the attacks on the Tigers, saying the planning and execution of many the attacks clearly point to the troup, officially known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. However, the rebels have denied responsibility.

``The LTTE should realize that we are not deaf and blind,'' Rajapakse was quoted as saying. ``If someone takes my patience that I have inculcated through Buddhist values as my weakness, they would be mistaken.''

Discuss this story Published: Mon Jan 9 08:04:34 EST 2006

SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir told journalists that the LTTE had told them that the people in Jaffna were behind these attacks.

“Since they are so sure that people had carried out these killings, we asked them to identify them to the mission,” said Olafsdottir.

She said the SLMM did not want to whitewash anyone. According to the Army, the LTTE has killed 52 security personnel from last December upto now. They are in the habit of denying any ceasefire violations perpetrated by them.

Olafsdottir said the Mission had asked the LTTE whether they were responsible for these charges. They had denied responsibility, saying the people were behind these attacked. “We asked them: ‘If you are so certain it was the people, why can you not identify them,” she said. “Similarly we have asked the security forces to come out with concrete evidence to prove their allegations. The SLMM cannot act without firm evidence,” she said. Referring to the peace talks she said, “I must say both the LTTE and the government had the opportunity to have ground talks, but they have been missed out by both the parties.”

Discuss this story Published: Mon Jan 9 08:18:41 EST 2006

President Mahinda Rajapakse met the ambassadors of Norway, Japan, Britain and the European Union - key backers of Sri Lanka's peace process, and briefed the about Saturday's pre-dawn attack that killed 13 sailors, a government statement said.

``The president condemning the attack in the strongest possible terms identified it as a suicide operation which had all the hallmarks of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam),'' the statement said.

The attack off the east coast of Trincomalee and brought the death toll of security forces to 59 since Dec. 4, when a wave of anti-government attacks began. Authorities have blamed the Tigers, who have denied responsibility.

Discuss this story Published: Mon Jan 9 08:01:46 EST 2006