நடப்பு அரசியல்

[Mathan]

கருணாவிற்கு இராணுவ அதிகாரிகள் சிலர் ஆதவும் புகலிடமும் கொடுத்திருக்கலாம் என்பதை இலங்கை அரசு ஏற்றுக்கொண்டுள்ளது.

Sri Lankan government admits military supported renegade rebel leader

Associated Press, Thu June 24, 2004 05:42 EDT . SHIMALI SENANAYAKE - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's government admitted Thursday that some military personnel supported and possibly sheltered a renegade rebel leader despite Tamil Tiger warnings that such acts would damage efforts to end the island's 19-year civil war. Since the rebel split, tensions have mounted in Sri Lanka - 's east, with sporadic attacks on the main rebel group and Tamil civilians in the area. The rebels say that Muralitharan's group carried out the attacks with assistance from the military. The military in turn has accused the Tigers of targeting intelligence operatives in the east.
The Tigers have accused the government of ``duplicity'' by supporting the breakaway leader and warned of ``calamity and destruction,'' igniting fears of a return to fighting.

``We should let it be known to his contacts that they will cause irreparable damage to the peace process if they exploit Karuna's dissent,'' Anton Balasingham, the Tigers' chief negotiator, warned days after the rebel split.

Efforts to resume stalled peace talks have so far been futile.

Erik Solheim, Norway's top peace envoy, will travel to Sri Lanka - on Monday for talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Tigers' political chief, S.P. Thamilselvan, officials involved in the peace process said on condition of anonymity.

Solheim's last visit, nearly a month ago, failed to bridge the chasm between the government and rebels on how to revive the peace talks.