by Daily Mirror, Colombo, March 16, 2004
The proposals for an Interim Administrative structure forwarded by the LTTE were not aimed at a separate state but only at an interim arrangement, said its leader V. Prabhakaran in a statement to the LTTE’s Sinhala paper Dedunne.
“The accusations that our proposals are aimed at a separate Tamil state and the first step for secession are not correct. They do not contain proposals for a framework towards a final solution. They are for interim preparations. Without such an organization the displaced cannot be rehabilitated nor development projects implemented. Maintenance of law and order, distribution of land and allocation of funds for provincial administration cannot be done without such a body.
At present we effectively administer the North and East efficiently. I wish to point out this reality with facts,” the Tiger leader said.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2004/03/16/front/5.asp
On March 2004, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V. Prabhakaran, clarified that the Interim Administrative structure proposed by the LTTE was not intended for a separate state but rather as an interim arrangement. He emphasized that these proposals did not outline a framework for a final solution but were focused on preparations for the interim period. The organization aimed to address critical needs such as rehabilitation of displaced individuals, implementation of development projects, and maintaining law and order in the North and East regions. Prabhakaran asserted that effective administration was already in place in those areas. The Independent, UK, date unknown
Also: https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=11583
Rejection of ISGA will lead to separation – Sampanthan
[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 16:53 GMT]
“The international community should come forward to recognize Tamils right to consider secession if the future Sinhala government refuses to negotiate on the basis of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,” said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the lead candidate of the TNA contesting in the Trincomalee district addressing an election rally in Sambaltivu and Salli, Tamil villages in the north of Trincomalee Friday evening.
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“I appealed to the envoys of European Union (EU) member countries in Colombo in my recent discussions to recognize Tamil’s right to go separate ways if the ISGA is rejected By Sri Lanka Government, and requested them to convey this appeal to other members of the non-European international community,” said Sampanthan in his speech.
He said: “Sri Lanka’s President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge thought with the take over of the defense ministry the LTTE would violate the ceasefire agreement and launch another war in the country. But the LTTE acted with restraint. The International community commended the LTTE for its political maturity in reconfirming their commitment to abide by the Cease Fire Agreement. LTTE said it would wait to recommence the stalled peace talks till the southern political crisis is resolved.”
No government that comes to power in the April 2 general election could refuse to start peace talks on the basis of the ISGA with the LTTE. Therefore the Tamil voters should strengthen the hands of the LTTE by sending TNA with more than twenty parliamentary seats to play a key role in the formation of the new Sri Lanka government, said Mr.Sampanthan.