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| Sunday, 12 September 2004 |
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US with Govt for peace by Ranga Jayasuriya Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim is arriving in Colombo tomorrow (13) for another round of shuttle diplomacy between Colombo and Kilinochchi. The Ceasefire Agreement and Interim Administrative proposals will be the key issues to dominate Solheim's discussions with the two parties. An LTTE spokesman told this column that the Tigers will raise the issue of security situation in the East and demand the disarmament of "para-military groups" in the East. "We want all armed groups to be disarmed and we will raise the issue with Mr Solheim," LTTE spokesman Daya Master said. He said the LTTE would demand security guarantee for political cadres working in the East. Solheim will meet LTTE political chief S. P. Thamilselvam on Thursday. The Tigers have been complaining that their cadres have been targeted by the Karuna loyalists, charging the army of collaborating with the loyalists of the renegade LTTE commander. While denying any such involvement, the Security Forces charge that most LTTE cadres who enter the Government held area in the disguise of political workers are engaged in ceasefire violations. When Batticaloa brigade Commander Brigadier Vajira Wijegunawardene met local SLMM officials, he warned that the Security Forces would limit the number of LTTE cadres allowed to enter the Government controlled areas, unless the Tiger hierarchy restrains its cadres activities violating the ceasefire. The other issue, obviously the most important, which will dominate Solheim's discussions is the North-East interim administration. Mid this week, Minister Maithripala Sirisena said in Parliament that the Government was studying the LTTE's proposals for the North-East Interim Self Governing Authority and working on a set of alternative proposals. The Minister went on to assure that the Government will consult the other political parties, before finalising its counter proposals. The LTTE peace secretariat's official website argued against the counter proposals. "To counter what? Is it to counter the call for the delivery of peace dividend normalcy which encompasses urgent humanitarian needs of a people devastated by war? The ISGA in fact is a cohesive mechanism that envisages humanitarian delivery without waiting for the final political resolution which is time consuming," the LTTE website stated. However, what the LTTE leadership has failed to explain is whether the absolute penury powers demanded in the ISGA proposals are necessary to address the humanitarian and rehabilitation needs in the North-East populace. Indeed, the Wickremesinghe Administration offered to set up a provisional administrative Council for the North-East, which was a development oriented mechanism intended to address the humanitarian concerns in the populace. But, the Tigers rejected the offer, even though they were given the lion share in the council. LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham was quoted criticizing the Wickremesinghe Administration for offering the LTTE only a development oriented mechanism, when in fact what the Tigers asked for was "politico administrative" structure. While Tigers and LTTE-proxy Tamil National Alliance campaign for international recognition, the US State Department coordinator for counter terrorism Ambassador-at- large J. Cofer Black this week reiterated that unless the LTTE renounces terrorism in "word and deed" and "enter into good faith negotiations with the government," it would remain on the State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. He said the United States has provided the Sri Lankan government the type of support that puts it in a good position to negotiate with the LTTE as the object was peace and not war. "We have a good program in place with the government for these times. Were the times to change, the United States would have to reconsider the type of support it gives, " He said. |
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