The Hindu : National : Delhi wants peace process in Sri Lanka to continue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 06, 2004

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National

Delhi wants peace process in Sri Lanka to continue

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI, APRIL 5. A new Sri Lankan Government should make all efforts to reach out to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to continue the peace process, official sources told this correspondent today.

India, which has been closely monitoring the Sri Lankan election results, feels there is little choice but to continue with the peace process. With a split in the LTTE, the prospects for engagement could be brighter, it has been noted.

The gains made by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, which according to information available here, could have won as many as 37 seats, are evident. In a situation where the Chandrika Kumaratunga-led United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has won 105 seats, the JVP has emerged as a major force as part of the UPFA headed by Ms. Kumaratunga. Southern Sinhala voters have also favoured the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a party of Buddhist monks that has won nine seats on its electoral debut, along with the JVP. That the United National Party (UNP) has lost out in the South is evident; but it is felt that there could be long-term implications for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as well.

Information available here also suggests that the LTTE resorted to rigging in the North, from where the Tiger front, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), bagged 22 seats. Of these, four or five are supposed to be candidates favoured by the rebel LTTE leader, `Col.' Karuna. The sources pointed out that Douglas Devananda of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) was the only non-TNA victor. The poor performance of the UNP, despite its peace platform, was evident.The Sri Lankan electorate, sources suggested possibly took peace as "given" and wanted more from the Government in terms of jobs and greater economic development.

They acknowledged that the LTTE, too, would be looking at the election results closely, especially the consolidation of the Sinhala vote and the gains made by the JVP and the JHU. Making it clear that this was a preliminary assessment, the sources said the Tigers could either "harden" their position in the face of gains made by the Sinhala hardliners or choose to deal with the UPFA in realistic terms.

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