Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Sunday warned that some members of the Tamil diaspora were attempting to mislead the Tamils in the country to seek secession, the media reported.

Speaking at a victory day celebration in the southern town of Matara on the fifth anniversary of the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Rajapaksa said the war was not against the Tamils but the guerrillas.

But some people were attempting to mislead the Tamils in an attempt to divide the country, Rajapaksa said, adding his government would not allow this to happen.

A massive military parade was held at Matara Sunday.

Rajapaksa said the best place to address any political issue was parliament and that is why a Parliamentary Select Committee was appointed to discuss the ethnic divide.

Almost all political parties joined the committee. But the Tamil National Alliance demanded direct talks with the government. Colombo refused to meet the demand.