COLOMBO, FEB 4: Sri Lanka's continuing tragedy was laid bare on its 52ndindependence anniversary today with President Chandrika Kumaratunga stayingaway from the official ceremony, the opposition boycotting it, Tamilpoliticians not invited, and three bombs going off the day before despitesaturation security.The traditional president's address was delivered by Kumaratunga from herofficial home Temple Trees. Preparing the ground for this departure fromconvention, the government-run newspaper Daily News had yesterday reportedthat the president was "indisposed".State television orchestrated the event, switching the live telecast fromthe venue of the official ceremony where the Sri Lankan cabinet and otherdignitaries were assembled, to Temple Trees and back. Speaker of the SriLankan parliament K B Ratnayake presided over the main ceremony.The high-security event was held outside the parliament complex at SriJayawardenepura Kotte, a suburb of the capital. In spite of tightenedsecurity for days preceding the event, three bus bombs went off yesterday inseparate incidents outside the capital.There were no deaths, but several people were injured in the bus explosions.Marking its protest, the opposition United National Party (UNP) held its ownindependence day ceremony under its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe whoboycotted the main event."The state function was not attended by the prime minister, or thepresident. And everybody was a prisoner in their homes till the ceremony wasover. What independence?" asked UNP spokesman Gamini Athukorale.Parliamentarians of the two former militant Tamil political groups thatsupported Kumaratunga in the last presidential elections were not invited tothe official ceremony, which state radio reported as "charming" and"patriotic". "I normally do not go for the independence day ceremony, and Iwill never till the ethnic problem is resolved, but even so, the governmentusually sends an invitation. This time, even that was not there," saidDharmalingam Sithadthan of People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam(PLOTE).Secretary-general of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) andparliamentarian R Sampanthan said he had not even bothered to check whetherhe had received an invitation, because his party had stopped attending thefunction "long ago". In her address, more statesmanlike than any maderecently, the President called for a democratic consensus amongst allparties in the task of nation-building.Admitting the role of the LTTE she once again reiterated her intention totalk to the militant group and appealed to them to give up violence."The LTTE has a vital role to play in concluding this extended sadness forthe Tamil people. The LTTE must also recognise that assassinating Sinhalaand Tamil leaders and innocent citizens can never resolve the problems ofthe Tamil people or the minorities. It is urgent that we end this heartlessviolence of terror, and its result, the war," she said.
