Beyond Expectations?

The second round of talks that concluded on Nov. 3 is said to have progressed beyond expectations. The BBCwhich normally chooses its words carefully said that the talks made "dramatic progress." The Hinduof November 4, had the headline-" Tigers wish to turn a new leaf." But the Sri Lankan government’schief negotiator was not so euphoric and he claimed that the peace process was "moving forward in a veryencouraging manner." Mr. Hegelsen, the Norwegian facilitator was more realistic when he said "whatwe have agreed is here on paper. It has to be implemented vigorously on the ground."

The progress was, in the two sides forming joint committees that would address all the all three issuesnamely civilian rehabilitation, military concerns and sensitive political matters. Three sub committees wereformed -

• for political matters to work towards an acceptable model to be chaired by the two chief negotiators.
  
  
• sub committee on Intermediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation needs in the North and the East (Note- notNortheast)
  
  
• the subcommittee on "De-escalation and Normalisation" which will look into issues relating tohigh security zones.

The rehabilitation committee will be chaired by Tamilchelvan and Bernard Goonatilleke and the security oneby LTTE’s eastern military commander Karuna and the Sri Lankan Defence secretary, Austin Fernando. RaufHakeem, leader of Sri Lankan Muslim Congress was also inducted into the political committee. Rauf Hakeem andKaruna had a separate informal session where the security of Muslims was discussed. In a related issue theLTTE raised formally the role and location of STF in the eastern province.

In a surprise move, the LTTE dropped the demand for interim administration of the Northeast. In the Pressconference that followed the talks, Balasingham spoke with consummate finesse. While dropping the demand forthe handing over of administration of Northeast to the LTTE, which would have been difficult forWickremasinghe government without cooperation from President Chandrika, he went to the extent of saying thatthe LTTE would permit other political parties and groups to participate in the democratic process in the northand the east. On the latter, the test would be whether the parties outside the TNA (Tamil National Alliance)would be allowed to operate in the areas under the control of LTTE.

For the present, the priorities of the LTTE appear to be one- rehabilitation and reconstruction of thenortheast with the help of outside donors and two- to woo the Muslims, who have long been deliberately kept bythe Sri Lankan government as a separate entity. Letting the SLMC leader as a party to the cease-fire talks andbringing in Karuna to talk directly to Hakeem tend to substantiate this view.

Aid and progress in peace talks go together. The Japanese official representative to the peace processYasushi Akashi who toured the island for six days struck the right note in linking aid to progress in peacetalks. Of significance is his reference to the eligibility of south Sri Lanka for aid once there was apermanent end to the conflict. It is presumed that he was talking on behalf of all other donor countries.

The next round of talks will be in Oslo between December 2 and 5 followed by other rounds on January 6,February 7 and March 18, 2003. The talks will be preceded by conference on invitation in Oslo on November 25.Besides United Kingdom, the United States and other Scandinavian countries, media reports indicate that Indiahas also been invited.

So far the talks have gone off well with each party putting best foot forward but there could be problems.There was a major violation of cease fire terms by the LTTE when its boat with six members was intercepted bythe Sri Lankan Navy off Trincomalee. The Navy found 35 claymore mines, concealed in the boat. The cadres werehanded over to the monitoring committee instead of going through regular legal procedures.

Of greater interest and potential to create friction between the government and the LTTE as also betweenthe Prime minister and President is the string of Police stations the LTTE proposes to open in the east. Twosuch Police stations were opened recently, one in Mutur, Trincomalee (one already present ) and the other inPalugamam in Batticola district. Media reports indicate that the Assistant Government agent, Batticolaunveiled the name board of the Police station at Palugmam. Interestingly the LTTE has its own penal andcriminal procedure code, its own judiciary, customs service, taxation laws and a banking service.

The running feud between President Chandrika and prime minister Wickremasinghe continues with each takingpotshots at the other. While Chandrika made a televised appeal for unity in the interest of peace, it wastreated with scorn by the government. A response came from the Sri Lankan representative to the talks G.L.Peiris that while the government welcomed offers of cooperation from all quarters it still had to implementits own agenda! In other words, thank you President, we don’t need you. But the fact of the matter is thatthe peace process cannot be taken to the logical end unless the President and the Prime minister, in thepresent constitutional dispensation available work together!

The government is also in the process of introducing a "Joint Chiefs of Staff Bill" this monththat would provide the creation of a Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee functioning directly under the Ministryof Defence which some legal experts believe is yet another attempt by the government to strip the President ofsome powers and responsibilities. One of the objectives of the Joint Chiefs is to provide advice to thegovernment individually or collectively when called upon to do so, when technically the President is theCommander in chief and it is the President who should seek such advice for herself or on behalf of thegovernment and get it.

President Chandrika on the other hand has proposed on November 12, the setting up of a National Commissionfor Ethnic reconciliation and Sustainable peace with the participation of the LTTE without consulting thegovernment. The highlight of her speech was the reference to 1983 riots which she said was a "water shedevent in ethnic relations and a true national tragedy of epic proportions." She described the riots as a"clear failure of the Sri Lankan State to protect its Tamil Citizens." Had it been said in someother time, it would have been a weighty one. It was indeed a failure on the part of the then UNP governmentto protect the Tamils of all hues that resulted in a reluctant India intervening on behalf of the Tamils. Therest is history.

(Dr. S. Chandrasekharan is Director, South Asia AnalysisGroup)