The Hindu : We will complain to Norway, says Balasingham

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 21, 2002

International

International

We will complain to Norway, says Balasingham

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO May 20. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has said that it will complain to Norway, the facilitator of the Sri Lankan peace process, that some of the Government's actions are diminishing the prospects of peace.

In an interview to the Tamil daily Sudar Oli, London-based Anton Balasingham, political adviser to the LTTE, said that he would take up the matter with the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen. Mr. Helgesen and Erik Solheim, a member of the facilitating team, are due to meet Mr. Balasingham in London this week.

``Far from strengthening our belief that talks will take place, the problem of Tamils will be solved and peace will dawn soon, the Government's actions seem to shatter that belief,'' Mr. Balasingham said. ``We are going to complain about this at the outset,' he said, blaming the Sri Lankan armed forces for allegedly violating the truce agreement signed by the Government and the LTTE.

Chief among the LTTE's grievances is the continued presence of the armed forces in places of worship and schools despite the 30-day deadline for withdrawal from such buildings in the truce agreement. The other complaint is that the Air Force was carrying out surveillance of LTTE-held areas. Mr. Balasingham, who returned to London last month after spending four weeks with the LTTE in northern Sri Lanka, also accused the government of "dithering'' over its main demand, namely its legalisation, without which talks would not take place.

Little more than a month after showering praise on the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, for his handling of the peace process, Mr. Balasingham said his recent remarks refuting the Tamil homeland concept and his assurance to Buddhist monks that he would not strike a deal with the LTTE without getting approval from the people, had created doubts in the minds of the Tamils. ``Whether talks will take place next month is in the Government's hands,' Mr. Balasingham said reiterating that removal of the ban on the LTTE and "full implementation'' of the ceasefire were necessary before talks could begin.

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