Lanka Offers Peace Talks

29/11/2005| IslamWeb

A Tamil Tiger deadline for a political deal in Sri Lanka eased fears of an immediate return to war in the South Asian nation and left room for the new government to manoeuvre, analysts said yesterday.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Sunday gave the new government of President Mahinda Rajapakse until year's end to come up with a "reasonable" political settlement or risk a war for full independence.

The president told Colombo-based diplomats yesterday he wanted talks with the rebels, but did not respond directly to the Tiger deadline.

"Let me use this occasion to reiterate my invitation to (LTTE leader Velupillai) Prabhakaran for talks," the president said.

"We can resume work immediately on reviewing the operation of the ceasefire, whilst we prepare ourselves for eventual substantive talks." Rajapakse, who on Friday told parliament he wants a "new peace process" and a "revision" of the current truce, said he expected the LTTE to abide by the ceasefire, stop human rights abuses, political killings and child recruitment.

"I intend to make the peace process more open and more inclusive than it is now. We are talking about a peace for all the people of this country."

The president said he had asked his officials to initiate consultations with the key peace backers - the US, Japan, the EU and Norway.

Some analysts had feared the LTTE would call for an immediate return to war and bring an end to a ceasefire in place since 2002.

But reflecting that the LTTE left room for a settlement, the Colombo stock market closed up 3.5 per cent at 2,277 yesterday, a reverse from sharp declines since Rajapakse came to power 10 days ago under a promise to review the peace process.

"Prabhakaran's message is not as bad as what the market expected," a dealer at Ceylinco stock brokers said. "That is why the market is going up."

Prabhakaran's annual speech is always closely monitored for changes in policy by the separatist group, which has waged an ethnic insurgency that has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.

The Tiger supremo made it clear he was putting the new administration on notice.

"This is our urgent and final appeal," Prabhakaran warned. "If the new government rejects our urgent appeal, we will, next year ... establish self-government in our homeland."

The brokers read the message as a sign that there would not be an immediate outbreak of hostilities on the island.

Former air force chief Harry Gunatillake said the LTTE had put the government on notice that there could be fighting from the early part of 2006.

"What the LTTE is trying to do is get the international community on their side," Gunatillake said. "They are being reasonable and giving time to the new government." However, Gunatillake noted that given the hard-line position of parties in the president's coalition, it was difficult to see a consensus emerging before opening talks with Tigers.

PHOTO CAPTION

Tamil Tiger rebels patrol a street during the annual Heroes' Day in rebel-held Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, November 27, 2005. (REUTERS)