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| Monday, 18 October 2004 |
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| Following President Kumaratunga's persistent efforts: Permanent peace on the horizon
With President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga relentlessly pursuing her efforts to put the peace process back on track through the establishment of the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) and the LTTE expressing its willingness to discuss counter proposals by the Government at the negotiating table, there are positive signs for an early resumption of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE. The call by the Most Ven. Thibbotuvawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala the Mahanayake of the Malwatte chapter on the United National Party and the Tamil Natational Alliance to support President Kumaratunga's peace efforts has had a big impact towards the early resumption of peace talks. The change in the LTTE's stance on the early resumption of peace talks, has resulted particularly due to pressures on the LTTE from the Malawatte Maha Nayake Thera, the international community such as USA, Canada, India and the European Union and international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) based in Geneva. Mounting pressure is also being brought on the LTTE to get back to the negotiating table with some Western countries making their views clear in no uncertain terms to LTTE political Wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan during his current visit of European countries. International Human Rights Groups have also stridently voiced their concern over many human rights abuses by the LTTE including the recruitment of child soldiers and their atrocities. The LTTE which had taken a firm stand that any talks with the Government should be based on its ISGA proposals is reported to have relented following the pressure brought to bear on it and reports of alleged dissention against the leadership from some of its seniors and expressed willingness to consider the Government's counter proposals which marked a sea of change on the part of the Tigers. The new LTTE stance has also activated peace facilitator Norway to make a "fresh initiative" to restart talks between the Government and the LTTE. Towards this end special peace envoy Erik Solheim will arrive in London today to discuss the new developments with LTTE ideologue Anton Balasingham and work out details for any new formula. Countries like the US, Canada and India have also redoubled their efforts to get the Government and the LTTE back to the negotiating table after expressing concern with the current stalemate. President Kumaratunga addressing the inaugural sessions of the NACPR expressed her willingness to settle for a solution based on the Oslo declaration which speaks of federalism. Soon after assuming office in 1995, President Kumaratunga extended an invitation to the LTTE for a negotiated settlement only to see the LTTE after initially accepting the offer reneging on its pledge. In a fresh bid to break the deadlock, President Kumaratunga invited Norway as a facilitator to put the process on track. The formation of the NACPR as a mechanism to reach consensus between political parties and groups on a solution to the problem drew positive responses among a wider section of the political and civil establishment with the Mahanayake thera of the Malwatte Chapter coming out strongly in support of the effort and requesting both the UNP and TNA who boycotted to reconsider their stance. The shift in moods also saw TULF stalwart V. Anandasangaree writing to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran appealing for a change of heart and grab the opportunity for peace for the a sake of the suffering Tamil community. |
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