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Review of HSZs possible if LTTE gives up arms: Nambiar

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO JAN. 26. The first commander of the U.N. Peace Keeping Forces in former Yugoslavia, Satish Nambiar, does not see the possibility of a review of Sri Lanka's northern High Security Zones (HSZs), unless the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) "deposits its weapons to neutral supervision and withdraws from frontline positions".

Such a measure, Lt. Gen. Nambiar said in his report on the High Security Zones (HSZs) "would provide a measure of reassurance" to the Sri Lankan Army that surprise LTTE attacks might be discounted.

Lt. Gen. Nambiar, who was invited in his personal capacity by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to study the HSZs, stressed the importance of re-assurances that "there would be no coercion of civilians and officials by LTTE cadres", who would be given access on dismantling the HSZs, The Island newspaper said in a report today.

The retired Indian general, sees the possibilities for "international monitoring" or "joint monitoring" of the Government and LTTE forces within the HSZs" as and when they are dismantled.

The former Indian Deputy Chief of Staff, invited by the Sri Lankan Government to give his preliminary views on long-term measures, has strongly spoken in favour of one Army for the country, which is currently exploring a political settlement within a federal framework.

Either "the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister'' must make it absolutely clear "that no matter what constitutional system is finally agreed upon, there can be only one Army for the country - the Sri Lanka Army", Lt. Gen. Nambiar said in his report. The issue of HSZs shot to centrestage of the peace process with the negotiators stuck over an LTTE demand that the Army de-escalate from the northern Jaffna peninsula to facilitate the return of the internally displaced people.

A collapse in the last round of talks was averted with the two sides agreeing to defer the issue till Lt. Gen. Nambiar submitted his report.

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