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| Sunday, 26 January 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The challenge of the peace talks in Thailand By Air Vice Marshal H. Goonetilleke We witnessed another round of talks ending 9th January, not as successful and euphoric as the previous ones, but nevertheless eventful and progressive in the search for lasting peace by the two parties to the ethnic conflict, the reason being the challenge of the High Security Zones (HSZ) by the LTTE which we described in another newspaper exactly three weeks ago. We were to say then among many other matters, that" ....some middle ground has to be found in the next few days in Thailand to satisfy both parties....failure to do so will almost certainly send the peace precess into hibernation perhaps until March". We expressed "...confidence that something can be worked out in the next few days but till then, of the three sub committees envisaged to bring about a solution to the main problem, the SDN (Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalisation) will be dead as a dodo". Whilst one part of our predication was prophetic, we are indeed glad that the next round due next month, also in Thailand, was not postponed for March - the reason being that some "middle ground" was found through the willingness of all stakeholders assembled there to push things forward. That elusive halfway house that could not be found in Sri Lanka, after earnest deliberation by all concerned both here and there, was concretized at the latter place by the sensible agreement to concentrate on an"action plan for an Accelerated Resettlement Programme for the Jaffna District" in two phases, the first relating to resettlement outside the HSZs and the next phase within demarcated areas in HSZs until an agreement in the future is finalized, but after the first phase is completed. Deadlines at every stage have been broadly spelled out but whether they can be realistically met, like in the case of the Army moving out of schools, temples and public buildings in HSZs being delayed at the initial stage, this first phase may take some considerable time but the spirit in which the two parties arrived at these conclusions will be applauded all round here and abroad with the possible exception of the two major opposition parties here who are hell-bent and have said so, to topple the government in six months, come what may. Whatever they say or do now, we are surely heading with greater determination towards the next four rounds from February to May, with the one in mid-June or so being a high-point in the discussions where the quantum of financial assistance to be received in the rebuilding process will be finalized, hopefully. An important but curious development in the last round of talks was the decision agreed to by all the participation teams to obtain the services of a Major General of the Indian Army to advice us on how to proceed with the resettlement plans of the IDPs in the two phases. Whilst conceding that a third party was necessary to adjudicate or determine these contentious claims of both parties re - the HSZs, we are inclined to raise our eyebrows as to why one of our own within this country at the highest professional levels, be it civilian or retired military, or conjointly, could not be harnessed so as to avoid further internationalisation of our domestic issue. Whatever, the reason was, it would appear that the matter was of such great concern that one of our ministerial envoys at the talks had to rush to Delhi at the tail-end of the discussions on the last day, 9th January, from Thailand, without even stepping into Sri Lanka, purportedly, we are told to keep the Indian government informed of the deliberations of the four days of talks but primarily, as this writer sees it, to apprise them of the new development. Fair enough; but we would have liked to know that our President, who is Commander-in-Chief of our military (by Statute), was kept briefed of such matters, (out of sheer etiquette and courtesy only), especially with optimism in the air once again of cohabitation, before dashing to Delhi direct with a short stop of even a few hours in Colombo to meet her. Well, he would have probably done that by now but it must have hurt her pride, of which there is an overabundance. If the last word is to be said about the HSZs, which slowed down the deliberations and resulted in one of the three sub committees, the SDN being compelled to take a sleeping pill for the time being, it is that both parties must come down from their inflexible positions to find that middle ground that we talked about but did not elaborate on. In a nutshell, it is that the military, if it is compelled by the State to remain in the HSZs and hold ground until a peace accord is successfully concluded, they must think in terms of shrinking these areas of control especially with an MoU on a ceasefire in place and has held for 13 months, which cannot be broken by either party without giving 14 days notice. Simply saying that the LTTE has an artillery range of nearly 30 kms and defending that areas surrounding it will not do. Just supposing the LTTE acquires a capacity in the near or distant future to reach a range of 50 kms, will the military be permitted to declare the entire peninsula and a portion South of it in the mainland, as an HSZ? We might as well then be an occupying force. What has to be done is to destroy that artillery, even though some of them were captured from us, and if we cannot get at them, in spite of our dominance in the peninsula. We must find a way to silence them through the good offices of the international community with particular reference to the SLMM and Norway. As for the desire of the original indigenous/Tamil community of displaced persons both here and aborad who have a rightful claim to their lands and dwellings now occupied by the military, they have to be given all the help and financial assistance in phase I, where such properties have been released for re-occupation. In the case of those still affected by phase II, i.e. shrunk HSZs as a result of the 4th round of talks where resettlement can be considered only after an accord is reached, which could take some considerable time, alternate lodgings have to be found for those desiring to return and cannot wait any longer. The financial commitment for these ventures would be quite considerable for the government, however, this is an area the international community would in all probability look at very seriously to take much of the burden away from us. Summing up the fourth round of peace talks, a major catastrophe was avoided by the unilateral decision of the LTTE, without serious objections on the government's side, despite persuasions on its part, to sidetrack and ignore the SDN committee and have its functions transferred to the other two committees, thus effectively sidelining our military participation on the issue of the return of the IDPs to their original homes. Hence, as I predicted three weeks ago the "SDN committee will be dead as a dodo" (for the time being at least) but the caravan will continue to move along despite the barking dogs, more slowly perhaps in the next few rounds. Talking of the anti peace lobby that is desperately attempting to de-rail the caravan and get into the driving seat, let us look at and ponder on their feverish activity to get there in the next six months or so as proclaimed by them at various platforms in the past few weeks. Whilst there were rumours of a getting together of the PA and the JVP, indeed there were and are discussions going on for sometime now on this score, we witnessed our President sending a team of three senior ex-ministers of her's to India last month with a very special letter to the Indian PM mentioning to their Foreign Minister about the various pitfalls/shortcomings of the Peace process, and probably prevailing on the Indian PM to take over the role being played now by the Norwegians. Mind you, this was while 40 countries were assembled in Norway at this time discussing finances to help us in the rehabilitation and re-settlement process and pledging $ 70 million for a start. In return, I believe, the team received a diplomatic snub and nothing was heard about the contents of that letter or the reply that must surely have been received by now. As if this was not enough, she sent an other acrimonious one thereafter, this time to the Norwegian Prime Minster complaining against their Ambassador here about his conduct re. The radio equipment, details of which all of us are aware of. This was a lengthy one, said to be about two or three pages for which a curt and appropriate reply was received last fortnight, the contents also now known by our countrymen. We leave it to our readers to draw their own conclusions on this penchant for letter writing at the drop of a hat. However, in fairness to our President, your columnist is constrained to point the accusing finger at her special adviser who might have at least nudged her in these exercises, where the diplomatic community in our country must also be raising both eye brows at these dubious antics. Meanwhile, the JVP has got in on the act and wants the Ambassador out of this country before his term expires in April this year but despite the intended tie-up with the PA, the President is unlikely to oblige because of the ripple effect it will have on the international community. These two main elements are joined by the National Bhikkhu Front, mainly comprising of vociferous young Buddhist monks and other hardline Sinhala forces such as the Sihala Urumaya, and it will be interesting to see what kind of impact all of them could make, if united, in their desire to overthrow this government in six months, as claimed, something like this which was said last year too. In this scenario where the JVP "Tail is wagging the dog" of the SLFP even in Parliament as demonstrated by a sit-in strike when the JVP leads and the SLFP meekly follows, there is a silver lining in that, in an all parties delegation to Europe last week for a week or so to study Federal systems in Australia, Italy, Belgium and Germany, there were three SLFP representatives. The three includes a virulent critic of the Peace process who also happens to be their spokesman, and it should be noted here only the JVP refused to accept this invitation of an NGO in Austria or Germany. So much for co-habitation to bring down the present government, where the General Secretary of the SLFP too declared on the electronic media a few weeks ago that they reject a federal structure in toto! So, literally and metaphorically, the SLFP does not seem to be knowing whether they are coming or going. |
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