Sunday Observations: The Political Column

Obviously, the country's security scenario was changing last week and our front page stories plus the defence analysis on page 11 gives the reader the last word on the security and defence situation.

But, while there were security concerns, meaning that the Tigers were trying guerrilla tactics trying to open up new fronts to counter ariel attacks to free Trinco of its pre ceasefire LTTE camps, the Tigers may also have been trying to explore other fronts such as penetrating city defences.

In fact, the Tigers did just that by blasting a claymore mine in Digana (story on page 5) and blasting a time bomb to get at an EPDP confidant of minister Douglas Devandnda.(Page 3.)

However, there were other security concerns that came to the attention of the President. One was as regards the President's own security.

He was under some pressure to re-think his journey to Kandy, for the Randoli perehara. The President's decision was to go, particularly because this was his first time presiding over the randoli perehera events.

The President did not however attend the perehera in person, though his wife did. His only public appearance last week was in Colombo, where he was at a Buddhist conference

But, on his way back from Kandy, the President also did a quick detour to Kataragama, after a security ok was given by the men in charge.

As the security scenario underwent some change, there was an indication that the raging battles could be temporary. We carry the story in our front pages that the Tigers had expressed willingness -- via the SLMM -- to enter into negotiations. This was not independently confirmed by SLMM sources who were unavailable.

This would gladden the hearts of some who have ''opened another front'' within the President's own ranks, so to say.

Dilan Perera and Vasudeva Nanayakkara, both President's men, sat at a meeting with peace activist Kumar Rupesinghe, where a ''no war'' cry was taken up with vehemence.

Some saw this as an opening up of a separate political front against the President. This was coupled with news that the former President Chadrika Kumaratunge was on a mission of her own, to secure support of government MPs for the formation of a political force of her own, based on a ''no war' platform.

The President on his part invoked the central committee decision of the SLFP, which has it that any SLFP member making any statement from the platform of any other organisation, has to do so with the prior approval of the central committee.

The new ''anti war'' front which purported to seek an opposition and government consensus against any resumption of war, was seen at least in some quarters, as a direct reaction to the continuing talks between the JVP and the government seeking a collation.

The JVP stuck to its guns (see separate interview with Vijitha Herath in our pages) meaning that the party reiterated that it will join the coalition only if the SLMM is sacked and the ceasefire document torn apart.

The SLFP was not buying these proposals, even though the President's view was that a broad collation should be on a common platform such as that put before the people at elections. It didn't appear by the week's end that the SLFP was willing to agree to any of the JVP's proposals, even though talks continued seeking a way out of the deadlock between the two forces.

Notwithstanding a possible rear guard against an emerging conflict situation, the President and those close to the defence establishment launched a major awareness drive to boost the morale of the forces. This drive would include a broadcast and print media campaign to kick off with commercials beginning today.

What's underpinning this campaign, we understand, is a viewpoint that the LTTE has not shown any willgness to veer away from its goal of having the objective of a separate sate, even though a few tentative nods have been made towards 'peace.''