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| Sunday, 4 August 2002 |
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Ceasefire Day+160: Tamil parties satisfied : Peace process on firm footing by P. Krishnaswamy The country passed its one hundred and sixtieth day (D+160) of the ceasefire last week amid optimism within the Government and in the Tamil political leadership, together with the Monitoring Mission, that the peace process has remained on track and could now move further. The completion of the transfer of troops from civilian installations in the North-East has gone according to schedule and a better understanding achieved with the LTTE in the recent London talks between Minister Milinda Moragoda and Anton Balasingham has brought the peace process a stage closer to fully-fledged political negotiations, according to diplomatic sources. Meanwhile, a ceasefire evaluation meeting between Tamil National Alliance leaders and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday concluded on a note of optimism as the Tamil representatives endorsed the steps taken by the Government and heard the Government's concerns about continuing LTTE abductions and extortion activity, the 'Sunday Observer' learns. At the same time, Government officials noted that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission had also, quite independently, raised the twin issues of abductions, especially of children for the purposes of LTTE recruitment, and extortion being carried out by the LTTE. Government officials said that the Tamil party representatives at Thursday's meeting at 'Temple Trees' had expressed satisfaction with the progress of the ceasefire. They had reiterated their support for the peace process, these sources said. TULF President V. Anandasangary, who led the TNA delegation told the Sunday Observer' that they were satisfied with the explanations given by the Government for non-compliance of certain aspects of the MoU, he said. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Ministers Milinda Moragoda, Tilak Marapana, G. L. Peiris, the Security Chiefs and Ministers' Secretaries. The TNA delegation comprised TULF MPs R. Sampanthan, N. Krishna Pillai, Thangavadivel, Ravi Raj, Mavai Senadirajah, Joseph Pararajasingham and ACTC MP A. Vinayagamurthy. The TNA delegation stressed that cultivable lands, and homes of nearly 100,000 displaced people of North Valigamam were near the High Security Zone and suitable arrangements should be made to resettle them. The Government had agreed to allow them to cultivate their lands and to order the security forces to clear the access roads of land-mines for both cultivation purposes and for schoolchildren to move about freely, he said. Paddy cultivation will also be allowed in Thanankillappu and neighbouring areas. |
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