Sri Lanka suicide bombing prompts calls for political solution

The United States, European Union and Canada have condemned Sunday's Tamil Tiger suicide bombing which killed a Sri Lankan minister, saying only a political solution, not violence, would ensure peace.
"The United States denounces this vicious and reprehensible terrorist attack on civilians in the strongest possible terms," a US embassy statement said Monday.

"Its perpetrators have achieved nothing other than to cause further suffering among the people of Sri Lanka. Only a political solution, not continued violence, offers the way forward to end the country's conflict."

A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed Sri Lanka's highways minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle as he opened a marathon Sunday in the town of Weliveriya north of the capital.

The attack also killed 13 others and wounded nearly 100, police and officials said.

Fernandopulle was the second minister to be killed this year.

Nation building minister D.M. Dassanayake was killed in a roadside bomb attack in the same district earlier this year.

The Tigers are trying to hit back at the government through bombings after suffering setbacks at the hands of the military in the north and east.

The military went on the offensive after the government scrapped a ceasefire with the Tigers, saying the rebels had repeatedly violated the truce and dodged all efforts to resume peace talks.

Western countries have however appealed to both sides to resume peace talks, saying violence would not solve the problem.

The European Commission also condemned Sunday's attack.

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, expressed deep shocks over the attack.

"The EU condemns all forms of terrorism and violence against civilians," a European Commission statement said.

"The EU continues to believe that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka and only a negotiated settlement can open the way for a lasting peace."

Canadian foreign minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement that Canada "strongly deplores" the attack.

"Canada condemns all forms of terrorism. We are deeply concerned about the worsening impact of this ongoing conflict on civilians, including humanitarian workers and human rights defenders. It is clear that violence will not bring lasting peace to Sri Lanka."

The EU, US and Canada are among Sri Lanka's key aid donors and have been trying to put pressure on both sides to resume peace talks.

Source: LBN