Tamils urge new talks

Justice minister Peiris repeats government conditions for peace talks - laying down of arms and discussions on substantive political issues. The Tigers say the Army must withdraw from Jaffna before they could consider negotiations and have again called for international mediation.

Tamil intellectuals have again urged the Sri Lankan government to carry out extensive consultations with the Jaffna Tamil people and other minorities before introducing constitutional amendments to solve the protracted ethnic conflict.

The proposal was made at a meeting on 26 June with Justice minister GL Peiris in a series of discussions on the government devolution peace package designed to end the 13-year conflict. Tamil intellectuals argue that the opinions of the people themselves are vital to convince hardliners on both sides in the conflict and to avoid past errors which have led to the present impasse. The meeting followed the opposition United National PartyÆs (UNP) rejection of a quasi federal union of regions through a new proposal from Presidential Counsel KN Choksy.

UNP MP KN Choksy suggests the amendment of Article 76 in the current constitution which prohibits Parliament from abdicating legislative power or setting up any authority with law-making powers and controversially retain Article 2 which provides that "The Republic of Sri Lanka shall be a unitary state". The Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reform is expected to examine the new proposal.

Observers point out Mangala MunasingheÆs 1991 proposals for devolution on the Indian federal model were accepted by the UNP but shelved for lack of support from Tamils. Mr Peiris says leaflets have already been sent to the north and has requested the assistance of the intellectuals for consultation with the Jaffna people.

In the face of opposition to change of the unitary state from the UNP whose support in Parliament is vital for a two-thirds majority, the government may be inclined to examine other options, including the Choksy amendment. The government has already watered-down its devolution proposals introduced in August 1995 to head off opposition by Sinhalese hardliners.

President Chandrika Kumaratunge held several discussions with Tamil political parties in June to dispel fears that the government is promoting the ruling PeopleÆs Alliance (PA) in Jaffna. The government has effectively denied access to the Tamil militant parties to Jaffna by prohibiting them to carry arms while initiating a campaign that the Jaffna people have rejected the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Tamil parties suspect that the government is attempting to step into the political vacuum created by their absence. Tamil party EPRLF leader Suresh Premachandran senses a distinct change in government attitude since the capture of Jaffna and says there are attempts to impose solutions.

Six Tamil parties told President Chandrika that the unitary provision should be changed to prevent the central government having an advantage in disputes with the regions, undermining devolution. They have also rejected the Choksy proposals. The Tamil parties continue to insist that the northern and eastern provinces should remain merged. But Sri Lanka Muslim Congress opposes north-east merger without guarantee of a representative body for Muslims in the east.

At a meeting on 27 June President Chandrika sought the views of donors on a 29-page two-year reconstruction plan for Jaffna distributed earlier in the month. The plan envisages two stages - the first, resettlement and rehabilitation and the second, reconstruction and economic development - at a cost of Rs 13 billion ($274 million).

Although some countries have offered assistance, donors are nervous over committing large funds because of security concern. LTTE attacks will continue and new fortifications are under construction to prevent Tiger infiltration.

The lack of coordination between various government ministries is making relief work difficult and without a land route to Jaffna peninsula, reconstruction also may become impossible. Donors seem to believe that peopleÆs participation is necessary for the reconstruction programme to succeed. But the LTTE, in a warning to the people ominously raises the question, "What need is there for rehabilitation when your freedom is lost?".

Although the government says that it will make every effort to achieve "peace through war", observers believe that it may become impossible to continue the strategy as the war effort may cost a massive Rs 46 billion ($920 million) this year.

Justice minister Peiris repeats government conditions for peace talks - laying down of arms and discussions on substantive political issues to be completed within a specified time frame. The Tigers say the Army must withdraw from Jaffna before they could consider negotiations and have again called for international mediation.

International opinion turned against the LTTE after it unilaterally broke off peace talks in April 1995. Diplomatic sources say international mediation is unlikely without commitment and a more concrete proposal from the LTTE.

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