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| Sunday, 30 April 2006 |
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Hostilities culminate in a possible last-ditch peace effort Sunday Observations : The Political Column The government and the LTTE are likely to reach a solution to the dispute over transport of Eastern Tiger commanders to Kilinochchi, the chief of the ceasefire monitoring mission said. "It seems they are on their way to a solution...," the SLMM chief, Ulf Henriccson told the Sunday Observer. He said the two parties had expressed need to meet in Geneva and that the SLMM was awaiting a response from the LTTE to the government's latest offer. The government early this week offered a sea plane to ferry LTTE Eastern commanders to Kilinochchi to attend what the LTTE called a preparatory meeting on Geneva talks. This sea plane could ferry ten passengers without luggage or 8 passengers with luggage. The LTTE spokesman Daya Master said that the government's offer of a sea plan had been conveyed to the LTTE leadership. He said the offer is now under consideration. Asked if the LTTE would participate in the next round of talks in the near future, he said no concrete decision could be taken unless and until the Tiger commanders from Trincomalee and Batticaloa were consulted and the ground situation of those regions was known. But, what's clear is that there has been a reconciliation effort after the events of last week transpired. Sources say that the President ordered clear halt of all sorties, that were ordered by the Defense establishment as defensive action against LTTE maneuvers in Sampur. The LTTE for whatever reason seemed to have reciprocated in the same spirit, and a halt has been called to all military activity since Thursday. Whatever activity did take place, was due to orders not going out to the cadres. From there, the effort seems to be towards cessation of hostilities, and the negotiating table in Geneva. Frantic pursuasive efforts by the government to bring the LTTE to Geneva for the second round of talks failed due to the unjust demands of the Tigers. When the government offered air passage for the LTTE Eastern Commanders to be transported to Kilinochchi,there started excessive demand on the mode of the helicopter.Finally, when the government accommodated a request for a ten seater helicopter, the LTTE displaying arrogance demanded a thirty seater. While these issues were being discussed, the Tigers exploded several claymore mines and attacked several security points.The SLMM Chief,Ulf Henricssen had to return to Colombo after an overnight stay in Kilinochchi empty handed as S.P.Thamilselvan refused to meet him to break the deadlock. Time and patience looked running out as the LTTE continued to display arrogance.President Mahinda Rajapakse continued to monitor the developments from Colombo and advised all sections to act with restraint. The President then decided to address the nation on Tuesday night to inform the people of his plans and to urge them to be calm as the LTTE was acting in a manner to rouse another communal backlash.On Monday the government seriously addressed the issue of requesting the European Countries to consider a ban on the LTTE as violence escalated in the North and East with troops and civilians being targetted. Peace Secretariat Chief, Palitha Kohona told the media in Colombo that the government was seriously considering the issue with the EU.Meanwhile, the LTTE taking shade behind ongoing discussions on the resumption of Geneva talks continued the dual strategy of talking and attacking the state. On Tuesday afternoon, a female LTTE suicide bomber jumped on the vehicle carrying the Army Commander in which ten persons including military were killed.Commander Lt.Gen.Sarath Fonseka sustained grievous injuries and is still hospitalised. The patience of the government ran out as more attacks were launched on security establishments on the same day in the North and East.President Rajapakse in a brief address to the nation on Tuesday night vouched the contain the situation stressing that he nor his government would go before the LTTE on bended knees. The President's address which called people to be calm recieved a good response. The people understood what the Tigers wanted by launching provocative attacks. Two weeks ago the LTTE targetted Minister Maithripala Sirisena at Polonnaruwa. Timely intelligence reports recieved by the security authorities saved the life of the minister. The suicide bomber swallowed a cyanide pill on arrest. Following the attack on the Army Commander, the President met leaders of all political parties to brief them on the situation. He called for their support to safeguard the nation and the people. All parties expressed their cooperation in one voice to back the President and the government. The same evening the government decided to counter LTTE attacks in a limited manner. The troops were forced to launched air strikes in Sampur as the Navy came under attack. All political parties backed the steps taken by the government. A TV talk on Tuesday night displayed unity among them.JVP's Wimal Weerawansa appealed to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to join them and the government to protect the people and the nation.He said,"I will respectfully urge Mr.Wickremesinghe to help us .Let us forget our past differences. If we hold hands, we can save our nation".Weerawansa's statement filled with emotion was welcomed by the UNP at all levels.The UNP immediately got in touch with Wickremesinghe in the United States and briefed him. In response, the UNP leader instructed Assistant General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake to courier a video clip of Weeransa's TV talk to him in the US.This was done on Wednesday afternoon. In the absence of Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader, Karu Jayasuriya has been actively communicating with the government on the current situation.Having briefed Wickremesinghe on his discussions with the President, he(Jayasuriya) advised all UNP MPs to act with caution and not to make statements that would be detrimental to the current situation in the country. On Wednesday, Wickremesinghe telephoned Jayasuriya and instructed him to extend the fullest support to the President at this juncture and cooperate with the government.The UNP leader has also stated that he would cut short his visit in the US as he had planned to make an important statement in Parliament when the House meets next. President Rajapakse on Thursday briefed the Ambassadors of Co-Chair nations on the current situation.He called for more pressure on the LTTE in the attempt to bring peace and normalcy. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera also addressed the diplomatic community in Colombo and urged them to bring more pressure on the Tigers if the LTTE was really seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The ceasefire agreement continues to remain as neither party has given notice to withdraw. This has been stressed by Erik Solhiem, the Norwegian International Development Minister who was due to address the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka on Friday. The government on Thursday night communicated to Norway about the continued acts of terrorism by the LTTE as more claymore mines and hand bombs were exploded in the North and East in which a few soldiers and several others were wounded on Thursday. On Friday, President Rajapakse met with all political parties representing parliament to discuss the current trend and the security situation. The President stressed the need to convey the correct picture of the country to the international community as certain sections of the international media attempted to distort the truth. All parties present extended their fullest support to the President to work towards establishing peace. Meanwhile, the Co-Chairs met in Oslo on Friday where it was said that both the government and the LTTE could be brought to Geneva sooner or later as discussions were underway to resume talks with a complete halt to all hostilities. There has been calm in the North and East over the past three days and
all signs are that both parties may once again work towards meeting at the
negotiating table in Geneva. |
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