06-30-2004, 01:39 PM
<span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>Sri Lanka: No Progress Expected In Restarting Peace Talks</span>
By Neville de Silva - Diplomatic Editor,, Asian Tribune
Colombo 30 June: Prospects of resuming the stalled Sri Lankan peace process in the near future appear dim, despite the continuing efforts of the Norwegian facilitators, diplomatic sources said in Colombo.
Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim who arrived in Colombo Monday night is due to hold talks with the political wing leader of the separatist Tamil Tigers S.P. Thamilselvan in their jungle headquarters today (Tuesday) to narrow the differences that now stand in the way of kick-starting the talks that came to a standstill when the Tigers suspended discussions with the then Sri Lanka government in April last year.
However diplomatic sources in Colombo who did not want to be named, said they saw little chance of the Norwegian special envoy achieving any breakthrough given fresh impediments that have exacerbated feelings between the Tigers and the Colombo Government.
The Tigers this week told the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that keeps an eye on compliance with the ceasefire agreement between the two sides, that it would boycott truce monitoring meetings with the Sri Lanka Army, accusing it of habouring and helping a breakaway faction of the Tigers from the Eastern province.
The Tigers claim that the Eastern province rebel leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias "Colonel" Karuna is being used by the Sri Lanka army to wage war against Tiger cadres.
"We have very reliable evidence that the Sri Lanka army is using Karuna as a pretext to murder and to create mayhem in Batticaloa," Thamilselvan was quoted as saying.
SLMM representatives who rushed to the rebel held area to try and resolve the issue were told that breakaway faction leader Karuna should be handed over to the Tigers.
This new factor has complicated an already difficult situation, diplomatic sources said, adding that they do not expect any breakthrough in Erik Solheim's current mission.
He is due to meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition Leader and former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during his stay.
The Tigers insist that any resumption of talks must be on the basis of their proposal last year for establishing an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) which an important component of the present coalition government headed by President Kumaratunga has rejected as totally unacceptable.
Last December the European Union's External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said during a visit to Sri Lanka, that the Tiger proposal for self government went far beyond any federal structure anywhere and also contravened the Oslo Declaration reached between the Sri Lanka Government and the Tamil Tigers.
The Colombo government's position is that the ISGA proposals cannot be discussed in isolation and negotiations should be conducted on the core issues such as the central question of devolution of power at the same time or even earlier, to work out a final solution.
The Tigers have been making threatening noises about a return to war.
Colombo's Sunday Times said this week that despite the ceasefire, the Tigers are strengthening their military machine.
In its front page lead item the Sunday Times said that the Tigers have now advertised in newspapers in the north calling for recruits to join a 1,500 strong auxiliary force that will form part of its armed militia.
"We will provide the military training and place them in various LTTE projects, but when the need arises we use them for fighting,” The Tigers "Police chief" was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile the UN agency Unicef has slammed the Tigers for accelerating the recruitment of child soldiers, despite a pledge given in April that they would release the child soldiers already in their ranks.
"This cannot continue any longer. These children must be released immediately and steps taken at the highest levels of the LTTE to ensure children are no longer taken by the organization," Ted Chaiban, Unicef Representative in Sri Lanka was quoted as saying.
- Asian Tribune -
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=10178
By Neville de Silva - Diplomatic Editor,, Asian Tribune
Colombo 30 June: Prospects of resuming the stalled Sri Lankan peace process in the near future appear dim, despite the continuing efforts of the Norwegian facilitators, diplomatic sources said in Colombo.
Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim who arrived in Colombo Monday night is due to hold talks with the political wing leader of the separatist Tamil Tigers S.P. Thamilselvan in their jungle headquarters today (Tuesday) to narrow the differences that now stand in the way of kick-starting the talks that came to a standstill when the Tigers suspended discussions with the then Sri Lanka government in April last year.
However diplomatic sources in Colombo who did not want to be named, said they saw little chance of the Norwegian special envoy achieving any breakthrough given fresh impediments that have exacerbated feelings between the Tigers and the Colombo Government.
The Tigers this week told the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that keeps an eye on compliance with the ceasefire agreement between the two sides, that it would boycott truce monitoring meetings with the Sri Lanka Army, accusing it of habouring and helping a breakaway faction of the Tigers from the Eastern province.
The Tigers claim that the Eastern province rebel leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias "Colonel" Karuna is being used by the Sri Lanka army to wage war against Tiger cadres.
"We have very reliable evidence that the Sri Lanka army is using Karuna as a pretext to murder and to create mayhem in Batticaloa," Thamilselvan was quoted as saying.
SLMM representatives who rushed to the rebel held area to try and resolve the issue were told that breakaway faction leader Karuna should be handed over to the Tigers.
This new factor has complicated an already difficult situation, diplomatic sources said, adding that they do not expect any breakthrough in Erik Solheim's current mission.
He is due to meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition Leader and former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during his stay.
The Tigers insist that any resumption of talks must be on the basis of their proposal last year for establishing an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) which an important component of the present coalition government headed by President Kumaratunga has rejected as totally unacceptable.
Last December the European Union's External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said during a visit to Sri Lanka, that the Tiger proposal for self government went far beyond any federal structure anywhere and also contravened the Oslo Declaration reached between the Sri Lanka Government and the Tamil Tigers.
The Colombo government's position is that the ISGA proposals cannot be discussed in isolation and negotiations should be conducted on the core issues such as the central question of devolution of power at the same time or even earlier, to work out a final solution.
The Tigers have been making threatening noises about a return to war.
Colombo's Sunday Times said this week that despite the ceasefire, the Tigers are strengthening their military machine.
In its front page lead item the Sunday Times said that the Tigers have now advertised in newspapers in the north calling for recruits to join a 1,500 strong auxiliary force that will form part of its armed militia.
"We will provide the military training and place them in various LTTE projects, but when the need arises we use them for fighting,” The Tigers "Police chief" was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile the UN agency Unicef has slammed the Tigers for accelerating the recruitment of child soldiers, despite a pledge given in April that they would release the child soldiers already in their ranks.
"This cannot continue any longer. These children must be released immediately and steps taken at the highest levels of the LTTE to ensure children are no longer taken by the organization," Ted Chaiban, Unicef Representative in Sri Lanka was quoted as saying.
- Asian Tribune -
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=10178
Truth 'll prevail