Tamil leader's speech: Excerpts

Prabhakaran says he is committed to peace process

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebel leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has threatened secession if the government in Colombo fails to allow Tamils in the northeast to govern themselves.

Below are excerpts of Mr Prabhakaran's speech.

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On charges made by Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga that the Tigers are using the peace process to prepare for war:

"There is absolutely no truth in President Kumaratunga's accusation that we are preparing for war by procuring weapons, recruiting on a large scale and strengthening our military machine.

"We are engaged in the task of maintaining peace but certainly not preparing for war.

If the Sinhala chauvinistic ruling elites continue to deny the rights of our people... we have no alternative other than to secede Velupillai Prabhakaran

"It is true that we have been recruiting on a small scale since we needed manpower for our administrative structures.

"The president has distorted and exaggerated this matter and is trying to create fear among the Sinhala people that we are preparing for war.

"These false allegations are levelled against us to tarnish the credibility of our liberation organisation and to disrupt the peace process.

"We are deeply committed to the peace process. It is because of our sincere commitment to peace that we are firmly and rigidly observing ceasefire.

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On charges that recent Tamil proposals to set up an interim administration in the northeast constitute a first step to secure total independence:

"The allegations levelled against our draft proposals that they aim to create an independent Tamil state or that they contain stepping stones for separation are not true.

"Our proposals do not constitute a framework for a permanent, final solution. Our draft proposals deal with an interim arrangement.

"It is not feasible to find a permanent solution to the Tamil national conflict immediately within a short period. It may take quite a long time.

"But the existential problems faced by our people are very urgent and they cannot be postponed for longer period.

"But if the Sinhala chauvinistic ruling elites continue to deny the rights of our people and oppose reconciliation and if the conditions of oppression continue, we have no alternative other than to secede and form an independent state invoking the right to self-determination of our people.

"We urge the Sinhala political leadership not to create the objective conditions that would drive our people to seek this ultimate option.

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On power struggle between President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe:

"As a tragic drama without ending, the Tamil ethnic conflict continues forever. Whenever the party in power attempts to resolve the Tamil issue, the party in opposition opposes it and derails the effort.

"This mode of conflict continues even when the opposition becomes the ruling party and attempts reconciliation.

This Sinhala political drama with its typical historical pattern has been staged regularly for the last 50 years. The directors of this bizarre drama are the two major Sinhala political parties."