The Hindu : Impasse in peace process: LTTE

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 06, 2002

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International

Impasse in peace process: LTTE

By Nirupama Subramanian

A Sri Lankan boy looks at a photograph depicting a de-mining operation in the island's war-battered north, at a photo exhibition to mark 100 days of a ceasefire between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, in Colombo on Monday. — AP

COLOMBO JUNE 5. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has said that the Sri Lankan peace process is at an "impasse'' and blamed the Government for it just as a donor meeting, billed as crucial for rebuilding the island's economy, got under way here today.

In an interview to the Tamil Guardian weekly, the LTTE's political adviser, Anton Balasingham, slammed Colombo for not implementing some of the provisions in the ceasefire agreement as quickly as the LTTE would like, and said it was acting under the "hawkish'' influence of the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga. ``We are disappointed over the lack of concern and inclination on the part of the Sri Lankan Government in the process of de-escalation and stabilisation of peace, which is seriously undermining the confidence of our people in the peace process,'' the London-based Mr. Balasingham told the publication.

His statements came as several countries and agencies of the United Nations, collectively known as the Sri Lanka Development Forum, began a two-day meeting at which it is hoped they will pledge financial assistance for the economic recovery of the country, including aid for the reconstruction and rehabilitation in the war-ravaged north-east. The stability of the peace process would be one of the key criteria the donors will consider before they commit money. Japan is Sri Lanka's biggest donor country, followed by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

In its editorial, the same publication, known for its accurate reflection of the LTTE's views, accused the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, of "duplicity'' for telling the international community during a tour of Europe last week that was all was well with the peace process in order to attract financial aid, while the actuality was different. ``Mr. Wickremesinghe would, of course, be expected to seek any financial assistance available for his shattered economy. But, from a Tamil perspective, it his willingness to dupe the international community with regards something as important as the state of the peace process that rings alarm bells,'' it said.

The ceasefire agreement promised the LTTE a withdrawal of armed forces from public buildings, schools and temples in the north-east. Though the process has begun and the Government still has more than a month under the terms of the accord for a complete withdrawal, Mr. Balasingham has alleged "non-implementation'' in this respect. Holding Ms. Kumaratunga, also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, responsible for the "non-cooperation'' by the troops, Mr. Balasingham said the process could be "rejuvenated'' only when this provision was implemented in full. The military should also withdraw barriers and checkpoints in the urban centres of the north-east and remove all the restrictions on day and night fishing in the north-eastern waters, keeping them only in restricted areas around naval bases, he said.

But the main reason for the LTTE ire is that the Government no longer appears to be playing ball with it on the question of an interim administration for the north-east. The Tigers want direct talks on this, but Mr. Wickremesinghe recently said that the agenda for the talks would have to include "core'' political issues as well, echoing the views of Ms. Kumaratunga, with whom his Government is in co-habitation.

The talks were first to be held in May and then in June, but with the widening gap in the perceptions of the two sides, there are no certain dates any more. In an apparent bid to force the issue, the Government said it was prepared to consider the LTTE demand for its legalisation when it had firm dates for talks, but that has only provoked the LTTE further. Mr. Balasingham described the Sri Lankan position on the interim administration and the ban as a shift away from Mr. Wickremesinghe's earlier promises and attributed it to Ms. Kumaratunga's intervention. ``We are deeply disappointed to note that Mr. Wickremesinghe is backtracking on the crucial issues of de-proscription and interim administration. President Kumaratunga may have prevailed upon Ranil to take a hardline attitude towards the LTTE,'' Mr. Balasingham said. Ms. Kumaratunga's misguided strategy of imposing unacceptable pre-conditions had taken the country to the brink of economic disaster when her People's Alliance was in power, and had slowed down the peace process to an "impasse,'' he alleged.

Meanwhile, Mr. Wickremesinghe today met parliamentarians of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and is reported to have assured them that the Government would ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire by the given deadline of 160 days, and that the LTTE would be legalised before the peace talks.

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