A: The branch of the Thamil Eelam Bank declared open by LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham, March 14 defying Sri Lanka’s financial regulations and challenging the country’s sovereignty at Pallai between Elephant Pass and Jaffna on Highway A9 B: Anton Balasingham clad in the astrologically auspicious color of blue cutting a blue ribbon to declare open the illegal bank. C: The main feature of the opening ceremony of the Bank of Tamil Eelam At Pallai was the hoisting of the separatist flag by a LTTE’s political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvan D: P. Nadesan a former police constable of the Sri Lanka police who now heads the Tamil Eelam police hoisted the Bank flag at the ceremony .( photo by LTTE - caption by Walter Jayawardhana)

BALASINGHAM THREATENS A SEPARATE STATE IF NO HONORABLE SELF RULE AND SAYS PEACE TALKS ARE FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles

March 15, 03:45 PM:The Chief negotiator of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Anton Balasingham declaring open a branch of the Tamil Eelam Bank in defiance of the financial regulations of Sri Lanka, threatened to form a separate state called Eelam if a honorable self rule was not granted to the Sri Lankan Tamils without any delay.

The British subject Balasingham, who is visiting LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran for consultations before the 6th round of talks to be held in Japan next week also said that the only reason why they were taking part in negotiations with the Sri Lanka government was that the LTTE wanted international recognition.

He said, “One might ask why we are negotiating. There is only one reason. We need international recognition.”

Declaring open a branch of the “Bank of Tamil Eelam” at Pachchilapalai in Palai , a town that lies between Elephant Pass and Jaffna on Highway A9 the LTTE negotiator Balasingham said , “ Even if there is war or even if there is peace our administration must exist here. We must strengthen our administration . The people must contribute to the administration.” He described the ulterior motive of going to negotiations with the Sri Lanka government and said it was to gain international recognition for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

He described the Tamil people had two choices: One is a honorable autonomous self rule ; the other is the Tiger administration to form a separate state of Tamil Eelam. He said to form the first one the Sinhalese must consent. Pointing out that the Sinhala nation had no such intentions Balasingham warned the Sinhalese that this was the last chance for peace.

He said, “The Sinhalese have no intentions of embracing the Tamils and setting up a Federal system for them to rule themselves, so that the Tamils could lead an honorable peaceful life with freedom.”

“But this is the last chance for the Sinhalese to make use of this opportunity to give the Tamils a federal state. If not , today’s Tiger administration will have to reform into a separate Tamil state, and nobody can stop this,” he warned.

Representing the Sri Lanka government Kilinochchi Government Agent T. Rasanayagam unveiled the name board of the Bank of Tamil Eelam.

S.P Thamilchelvan hoisted the separatist flag of the leaping ferocious Tiger of red and yellow and former Sri Lankan police constable and present head of the illegally instituted Eelam Police P.Nadesan hoisted the bank flag.

(15/03/03 go2lanka.com)