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A media release of National Peace Council of Sri Lanka

At the post-Tokyo donor meeting in Colombo earlier this month, members of the donor community stated that the disbursement of economic assistance would be contingent on the satisfactory progress of the peace process.

With the suspension of peace talks entering its sixth month, the National Peace Council believes that it is important to draw a distinction between the peace process, which includes the entire society, and the peace talks, which consist of only the Government and LTTE. Despite the suspension of peace talks in April of this year, we note that the peace process has not been weakened in the intervening period as was feared, but on the contrary has become further strengthened.

In the past five months, there has been a great deal of constructive and positive work that has been done, that has changed the minds of the people, preparing them for mutual accommodation in the interests of a just and negotiated peace. Among these is the principled decision on the part of President Chandrika Kumaratunga to publicly reject a political alliance that would have seriously compromised the peace process.

We take this opportunity to urge the Government and main Opposition party to act on the basis that the common positions they share on the peace process are much more important than their differences.

Another positive indicator about the strength of the peace process is the finalisation by the LTTE of its proposals regarding an interim administration following extensive discussions between internationally based experts and the LTTE's locally based members.

These proposals, and the way in which the Government responds to them, could lead to a resumption of peace talks. It could also lead to the further consolidation of the peace process especially if adequate attention is given to the aspirations of the people. We call on the Government to make a principled response to the LTTE's proposals.

The National Peace Council, however, continues to be disturbed by the assassinations of political opponents of the LTTE and recruitment of children taking place by the LTTE. These are grave and serious human rights violations, especially assassinations that cannot ever be reversed. Such actions, even though limited to specific segments of the population, continue to undermine confidence in the sustainability of the peace process.

We call on the LTTE to abide fully by human rights norms in the conduct of their affairs.

Finally, when assessing the situation in the country we urge the international community to assess the peace process in its entirety rather than only aspects of it. It is important to bear in mind that the peace process is more than peace talks between the Government and LTTE.

We are concerned that the conditions of life in the north-east, especially in the Wanni region, are much behind those in other parts of the country. Roads, irrigation facilities, health, educational systems and other infrastructure continue in a state of disrepair or in very poor conditions. The well-being of the people of Sri Lanka, north and south, should not be put on hold until peace talks commence so long as the overall peace process is strong and the vast majority of people are committed to it.

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