The Hindu : Prabakaran ready to consider regional self-rule

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 28, 2002

International

International

Prabakaran ready to consider regional self-rule

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO NOV. 27. The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V. Prabakaran, today spelt out ``regional self-rule'' as the alternative to Tamil Eelam, but made it clear that he had not abandoned the option of secession.

``We are prepared to consider favourably a political framework that offers substantial regional autonomy and self-government in our homeland on the basis of our right to internal self-determination. But if our people's right to self-determination is denied and our demand for regional self-rule is rejected we have no alternative other than to secede and form an independent state,'' Mr. Prabakaran said in his annual Heroes' Day speech.

The ``objective of our struggle is based on the concept of self-determination as articulated in the U.N. Charter and other instruments'', he said and added that ``internal self-determination entitles a people to regional self-rule''.

Today's statements gain relevance against the backdrop of clear international pressure on the Tigers to abandon the pursuit of separate Tamil Eelam and the use of terror and violence to achieve political objectives.

The LTTE's focus continued to remain on the position adopted in the 1980s that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of the Thimpu principles. This was reiterated again in today's speech when he described these principles as ``the fundamentals underlying our political struggle''.

There was, however, no direct response in Mr. Prabakaran's speech to international concerns on use of terror and violence to resolve political problems, as well a call for renunciation of a separate Tamil Eelam and the need to ensure pluralism, democracy and human rights.

Describing the LTTE's engagement in the negotiating process as a ``new challenge'', Mr. Prabakaran said the propaganda by ``Sinhala chauvinists'' that the Tigers were ``enemies of peace'' was ``falsified'' by ``our sincere and dedicated commitment to the peace process''.

The LTTE had demonstrated its commitment to peace by maintaining ``rigid discipline'' despite ``provocative attempts by certain elements of the armed forces and anti-peace forces to disrupt the peace process.'' Mr. Prabakaran attributed the failures of the earlier peace negotiations to ``the hard-line attitude and deceitful political approaches of the previous Governments''. The present Government, he said, is ``attempting to resolve the problems of the Tamils with sincerity and courage''.

Pat for Norway

Norway also came in for praise when the LTTE leader said that its ``capable and skilful'' facilitation had ``also contributed to the steady progress'' of the peace talks.

Endorsing the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe's approach to the negotiations, Mr. Prabakaran said, ``the ideal approach is to move the talks forward, systematically, step by step, standing on a strong foundation of peace and building mutual confidence''.

Expressing his ``deepest desire'' that the peace talks ``should succeed'', Mr. Prabakaran said _ as on all previous occasions _ that if ``Sinhala chauvinistic forces, for their own petty political reasons scuttle this peace effort, which has raised high hopes and expectations and gained the support of the international community, the Tamil people will be compelled to pursue the path of secession and political independence''.

Blaming ``racism and racist oppression'' as the ``causative factors for rebellions and secessionist politics'', the LTTE leader wanted the Sinhalese people to ``identify and reject the racist forces if they desire permanent peace, ethnic harmony and economic prosperity''.

The Sinhalese, he said, ``should not oppose the Tamils' aspirations to manage their own affairs under a system of self-rule in their own homeland''.

Laying the onus of a united Sri Lanka on the mainstream political parties, Mr. Prabakaran said it would be ``the politics of the Sinhala nation that will eventually determine whether the Sinhalese could peacefully co-exist with the Tamils or to compel the Tamils to secede''.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Weapons inspections commence in Iraq

U.K. to woo Muslim opinion on Iraq

Terrorism: dramatic turn to probe

Kissinger to head panel on Sept. 11 attack

Woman V-C for Cambridge

Cloned baby in January, says doctor

CPJ alarmed by journalists' arrests

Prabakaran ready to consider regional self-rule

'Situation in Afghanistan better than reported'

MQM decides to sit in Opposition