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| Sunday, 4 July 2004 |
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Tigers expect breakthrough after PC polls Peace Trail by Ranga Jayasuriya The LTTE was not disappointed even though Eric Solheim's shuttle diplomacy did not produce the anticipated breakthrough. The Tigers have a different time frame. As a senior LTTE member told this columnist, the Tiger leadership believes that a breakthrough is possible after the Provincial Council Elections. In other words, the LTTE believes that the Government would soften its stance on the talks' agenda after the PC polls, thus enabling the Tigers' ISGA proposals to be taken up first. In this context, the more immediate concern, i.e. the alleged army complicity with renegade LTTE commander Karuna, was the main issue in Solheim-Thamilchelvan discussions held on Wednesday, relegating the Interim Administration issue to the second slot. The LTTE allegations on an army role in the Karuna affair led the Presidential Secretariat to issue a statement refuting these allegations and stressing the Government's commitment to the ceasefire. "The President rejected the publicly aired allegations of the LTTE that the Government had authorised the Sri Lankan military activities in the Eastern Province in support of the Karuna faction. She expressed confidence that under the command of Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda, the Sri Lanka Army will continue to abide by the Ceasefire Agreement. She reiterated the Government's commitment to achieving a lasting peace and maintaining the Ceasefire Agreement, the Presidential Secretariat said after the President's meeting with the Norwegian peace envoy. In her meeting with the Norwegian special envoy, the President also explained the steps taken to establish an inclusive and transparent peace structure, stressing that peace negotiations should commence without delay in the mutual interest of the two parties. "The President stated that the Government was anxious to continue existing development projects and start new projects to satisfy the humanitarian and development needs of the North and East," the statement said. At the meeting, the President was accompanied by Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Peace Secretariat Chief Jayantha Dhanapala and Foreign Secretary G.S. Palihakkara. A day before he met the President, Solheim flew to Kilinochchi for talks with LTTE political chief Thamilchelvan whose concerns the President intended to address when she refuted charges about Army complicity with Karuna. Thamilchelvan complained that the military intelligence wing in Batticaloa and Ampara was helping Karuna loyalists, adding that academics and journalists are fleeing the East consequent to threats and intimidation by Karuna men. Increasing attacks "If this situation is allowed to continue, it will jeopardise the CFA and the entire peace process," Thamilchelvan sounded a warning. Indeed, since the Karuna rebellion and especially after the renegade commander disbanded over 3000 LTTE cadres under his command, the LTTE is struggling to keep the East under its control with less manpower in the face of increasing attacks by Karuna loyalists. Pro-Karuna cadres are engaged in both a military and propaganda offensive against the Wanni LTTE at a time the latter is most feeble in the East. Thamilchelvan at least had his concerns over Karuna's propaganda offensive being taken into consideration by the Government. The LTTE Peace Secretariat website quoted Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar as telling Thamilchelvan that Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar promised to look into the allegations that the SLBC Tamil Service is accommodating a "vicious campaign" against the LTTE, carried out by London-based Tamil Broadcasting Corporation and rectify the lapses if any. After the meeting with Thamilchelvan, Solheim told the media:"There is no major breakthrough I can speak of at the moment, but we as facilitators are working hard to bring both parties to the negotiating table soon." The Karuna affair has overshadowed the relations between the Security Forces and the LTTE and the Tigers last week boycotted a routine meeting with the security forces charging the Army of collaborating with Karuna's men. When Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Trond Furuhovde met Thamilchelvan earlier in the week, the LTTE political chief said the LTTE will not attend meetings with the Sri Lanka Army "while the Sri Lankan Government and its military continue to harbour Karuna and continue to instigate murder and confusion in Batticaloa". Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda, who was also the overall commander in the East till his new appointment, at his first media conference on his new capacity emphasised the need to resume dialogue between the Army and the LTTE, describing the LTTE's withdrawal from meetings as damaging to the peace process and the ceasefire. LTTE sources said the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was "pursuing" the Tigers to resume meetings with the Security Forces, however, adding the Tigers are yet to make a decision on the issue. Dual offensive The LTTE is on a dual offensive against Karuna's men; while hunting for pro-Karuna cadres, the LTTE is also engaged in a publicity offensive to convince the Eastern public that the Wanni Tigers have the upper hand. When the LTTE arrested six suspected Karuna men with handsets, grenades and assault rifles, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet displayed the photos of seven men in an apparent bid to counter Karuna's propaganda offensive. And Karuna is finalising plans to enter mainstream politics. An EPDP spokesman said Karuna would register his party with the Election Commissioner within the next two weeks. Maran, the outspoken spokesman of the Karuna Faction has been nominated as the General Secretary of the party which will be called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Eastern). In an interview with the Tamil Broadcasting Corporation, Maran said the new party would seek legal action against Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman for the duo's involvement in human rights violations. "If Sri Lankan courts fail to bring them to justice, we will go to the International Criminal Court," he said in an interview in which he accused Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman of killing former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, not heeding the advice of Mahattaya, the then LTTE deputy chief, and Anton Balasingham against such an action. |
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