Rejecting the Army report, Tiger political leader SP Thamilchelvan pointed out that the ceasefire agreement of February 2002 does not envisage de-commissioning and accused Commander Fonseka of attempting to disrupt the peace process. LTTE’s chief negotiator Anton Balasingham says that disarming is not a negotiable issue. He warned that the Army position is not only a disruption of the SDN but also an impediment to the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN). The LTTE proposes to take up the issues of resettlement and de-escalation at the next round of peace talks, scheduled to begin in Thailand on 6 January.
Commander Fonseka denies that he intends to disrupt peace. He says that the report was submitted after taking the security of the Sri Lankan state into full consideration. His report asserts that while humanitarian issues are important and resettlement will contribute to a favourable political climate for the LTTE in the north-east, the adjustments to the HSZs should not create political turmoil in southern Sri Lanka.
The report adds that in the present circumstances, where the Sri Lankan forces do not have superiority over LTTE’s military capability, it is not advisable to take risks until security force capability is superior to that of the Tigers. The report also speaks of the possibility of LTTE taking cover behind resettled civilians in HSZs and moving long-range weapons into the zones.
Commander Fonseka insists that security can be relaxed only in stages, in proportion to the disarming of LTTE cadre and de-commissioning of long-range weapons. He also proposes counter-insurgency operations, search operations, restrictions on visitors to resettled areas, restrictions outside and within HSZs and the involvement of the SLMM in checking LTTE arms and safehouses.
Mr Balasingham accused the head of SLMM, Trond Furuhovde of increasingly making a stand that favours the Army position. The rebuke came after Maj. Gen. Furuhovde noted that balance of power is the basis of the ceasefire agreement and dismantling of HSZs and handing over land for cultivation will reduce both security and combat potential of the government forces.
The LTTE said HSZs are operating in densely populated areas with the motive of using civilians as human shields. The Tigers assured that they are not demanding withdrawal of troops but relocation of military bases away from the population. The LTTE claim that their cadre are fully disarmed in Army-held areas and therefore cannot pose any serious threat to the military or disturb the balance of power. According to reports, there are 18 HSZs in Jaffna peninsula alone covering 160 sq.km. or 18% of the total landmass, driving out 130,000 people. The LTTE say nearly 30,000 houses, 300 schools, 25 roads, 40 industries and more than 42,000 acres of cultivable land are within the zones. Senior state officer, Jaffna Government Agent S Pathmanathan has refuted Army claims that 50,000 houses remain vacant outside the HSZs and can be used.
Whether Maj. Gen. Fonseka submitted the report with the concurrence of the government is unclear. But opposition People’s Alliance (PA) leader President Chandrika Kumaratunge, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, is reported to have directed the security forces not to concede strategic ground.
In December, the government came under attack after it was revealed that Norway had supplied powerful radio equipment to the LTTE. Over 100 Buddhist monks demonstrated in front of Norway embassy in Colombo on 23 December, demanding the removal of ambassador Jon Westborg and burned Norwegian flags. PA parliamentarian Sarath Amunugama says that India is concerned that LTTE radio, Voice of the Tigers, will now be able to reach listeners in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwar Sibal, who visited Sri Lanka in late December, did not meet Tiger ally, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), but held discussions with EPDP, EPRLF and EROS, the Tamil groups that are opposed to the LTTE.
US ambassador Ashley Wills plunged the Sri Lankan government into further problems. He told the press on 20 December that the US may seek the use of Sri Lankan territory to refuel warships and aircraft in the event of war with Iraq. With a large Muslim population, an official request from the US may place Sri Lanka in a difficult position. Observers say that India is observing these developments with growing apprehension.