The Indian External Affairs Ministry in a
statement released on the eve of the visit of the Sri Lankan President
Chandrika Kumaratunge to Delhi said. India was committed to the unity,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and to the restoration of
lasting peace through a peaceful, negotiated settlement that meets the just
aspirations of all communities. “Peace in Sri Lanka can only contribute to the
further deepening and expansion of Indo-Sri Lankan ties to mutual advantage and
benefit. “India-Sri Lanka relations have seen significant progress in the
recent past. Political relations are close, trade and investments have
increased dramatically, infrastructural linkages are expanding, and defense
cooperation is under discussion and there is a general, broad-based improvement
across all sectors of bilateral cooperation,” it continued. “The dynamism
imparted to the bilateral economic relationship by the success of the Indian
Sri Lankan Free Trade Agreement is symbolic of the dynamism of the relationship.
Bilateral trade has more than doubled after the FTA was signed and exceeded $
1.5 billion in 2003-04. India was the largest investor in Sri Lanka in 2002 and
2003. Discussions on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to further
deepen and widen the relationship have already been initiated,” the release
added.
AKASHI SEES FLEXIBILITY IN
COLOMBO’S STAND
The visiting Japanese special envoy, Yasushi
Akashi, said that he had conveyed “some ideas” of the President, Chandrika
Kumaratunga, to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, during a meeting with its
political wing leader, S. P. Tamilchelvan, in rebel-held Killinochchi. Striking
a tone of optimism, Mr. Akashi, who declined to reveal the “ideas” he had
conveyed to the tigers, as they were “confidential,” however, said: “I can
notice currents and moves, which can lead to a positive development.” At a
press conference at the end of his weeklong visit to the island-nation, Mr.
Akashi said he noticed a “flexibility” in Colombo’s position to restart talks
and that the LTTE was “carefully examining “ the President’s ideas. Mr. Akashi,
on his eighth visit to Ceylon as Japan’s special Representative for
Peace-building, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation in the Island nation, met a
cross section of the political leadership.
Of his meeting with Ms. Kumaratunga on October 29,
Mr. Akashi said: “She gave me the strong impression that she is committed to
the pursuit of peace,” and was “willing to make efforts to resume negotiations
with the Tigers.” Mr. Tamilchelvan assured him of “his and the LTTE’ commitment
to the peace process.” Mr. Akashi also said he had “raised the matter of
political killings and abductions in the east” during the meeting, and “I got
the usual answers from the LTTE.” As for the role of the international
community – which pledged a sum of us $ 4.5 billion spread over four years for
the reconstruction of Ceylon-it would be “consistent in the pursuit of elusive
peace” in Ceylon, he said. He expressed the hope that the stalled peace talks would
resume “sooner, than later.” The international community, he added, had “no
intention of interfering in the domestic affairs of Sri Lanka.” Praising the
facilitators of the peace process, Norway, for “playing a splendid role,” Mr.
Akashi said efforts were on by all concerned to bridge differences and work
towards resumption of the talks. Mr. Akashi, who will travel to India, asked
whether he would convey to India the LTTE’s apprehensions on a bilateral
defense cooperation agreement in the making, said. “I don’t think that this is
in the nature of a hostile, aggressive agreement to address the domestic
situation in Sri Lanka.”
RANIL URGED TO JOIN IN
EFFORTS TO SOLVE CONFLICT
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga,
met the former Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Ranil
Wicremasinghe, and invited him to join in the efforts to evolve a political
consensus to arrive at a solution to the island’s separatist conflict. At an
“informative and constructive” meeting between the two leaders, Ms. Kaumratunga
emphasized the importance of the Opposition, United National Party’s
participation in the National Advisory Council and Peace and Reconstruction.
Mr. Wickremasinghe emphasized the “urgent need for early resumption of peace
talks, on the basis stated by his party,” and “reiterated that there was a
clear agreement to explore a federal solution as the basis of a political
resolution of the ethnic conflict.” The Foreign Affairs Minister, Lakshman
Kadirgamar, was also present at the discussion.
TAMIL TIGER LEADER SAYS
REBELS ARE COMMITED TO PEACE PROCESS, BUT ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF INSINCERITY
A Tamil Tiger leader has
said the rebels remain committed to peace efforts aimed at permanently ending
the civil war in Ceylon, but accused the government of insincerity. S.P.
Thamilselvan, the head of the rebels' political wing, made the comments after
Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi failed to persuade the guerrillas to resume
peace talks that broke down a year ago over their demand for greater autonomy. Thamilselvan
said the Tigers remain "firmly committed" to the peace process, but
called government statements of its readiness to resume talks "mere words
only."
ENGINEERING
DEFECTIONS PREJUDICIAL TO MINORITIES SAYS MUSLIM PARTY LEADER
Sri Lanka's main Muslim
party withdrew from a peace panel set up by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and
declared "all out war" against her for allegedly trying to splinter
the minority community. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said it was
staying away from the first official-level meeting of the National Advisory
Council for Peace and Reconciliation, which Kumaratunga launched last month.
SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem said Kumaratunga had engineered the defection of three
of his legislators over the weekend in an effort to change the constitution and
that the move was prejudicial to minorities.
FORMER TAMIL MILITANT
KILLED
At least two persons, including a former Tamil
militant, Velayutham (44), was shot dead at a Colombo suburb by “unidentified
gunmen.” The Victim was a former member of the People’s Liberation Organization
of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). The motive behind the killing has not been established.
Police are investing the attack. The shootout at Dehiwela, a suburb of Colombo,
also killed a bystander. Velayutham was employed in the office of the Tamil
United Liberation Front (TULF), headed by V. Anandasangree, who unsuccessfully
contested from Jaffna against the LTTE - backed Ceylon Tamil Arasu Katchi in
the April snap parliamentary poll. Condemning the murder, Mr. Anandasangaree
said: “There is no meaning in these killings. They are making it impossible for
any international assistance for our community. The LTTE must stop the killings
and come to the negotiating table.” It may be recalled that the TULF president,
in a recent open letter to the LTTE leader, V. Prabhakaran, made a similar call
to end killings and resume negotiations.
READY TO RESUME TALKS,
CHANDRIKA TELLS MANMOHAN
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, today
discussed the state of the peace process in her country with the Indian Prime
Minister, Manmohan Singh, in the Capital. Officials privy to the discussions
said that Ms. Kumaratunga told Dr. Singh that her Government was ready to
resume the dialogue with the LTTE. Resistance from the Tigers, however, had
held up the resumption of the talks, Ms. Kumaratunga said. The officials said
that Ms. Kumaratunga stressed that Sri Lanka was ready to discuss the Interim
Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal with the LTTE within a federal
framework. She reportedly pointed out that while there had been political
killings by the LTTE, the cease-fire in the island nation continued to hold.
The officials also revealed that India and Sri
Lanka had completed substantive discussions on their proposed defence
cooperation agreement and that it was nearly ready to be concluded. The External Affairs Ministry spokesman said
that Ms. Kumaratunga and Mr. Dr. Singh reviewed current levels of “excellent
cooperation” between the two countries and resolved to expand it through
various development projects. On his
part, Dr. Singh conveyed his Government’s appreciation for Sri Lanka’s support
for India to enter an enlarged United Nation’s Security Council as a permanent
member. According to officials, Dr. Singh hosted a lunch in honour of the Sri
Lankan President and had discussions continued over lunch. The Sri Lankan
Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, accompanied Ms. Kumaratunga during her
visit. The external affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, also met Ms. Kumaratunga.
According to the spokesman, the two leaders discussed a range of issues,
including cooperation in the field of fisheries, defence and the utilization of
the lines of credit extended by India to Sri Lanka.
INDIA, SRI LANKA AGREE TO
SET UP JOINT WORKING GROUP
India and Sri Lanka have agreed to set up a Joint
Working Group (JWG) could meet frequently to deal with issues relating to
modalities for prevention of use of force against them, the early release of
confiscated boats and explore possibilities towards bilateral arrangements for
licensed fishing. A joint press
statement on the visit of the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, to
India said the two countries also agreed to continue with the existing understanding
on the humane treatment and early release of detained fishermen. They also
consented to expedite the signing of a MoU on fisheries. Ms. Kumaratunga, met
the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the former Prime Minister, A. B.
Vajpayee, before leaving for Bodh Gaya.
She also held discussion with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and the
Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee. The two countries agreed that a bilateral
Defence Cooperation Agreement and the MoU on the Rehabilitation of the Airfield
in Palaly would be signed between the two Governments on mutually convenient
dates. “The Indian side also agreed to carry out the refit of the Sri Lankan
naval ship ‘Sayura’ and underwrite the costs,” the statement said. On peace
efforts in Ceylon, India, for its part, reiterated its support for the process
of seeking a comprehensive, negotiated settlement acceptable to all communities
of Ceylon, and reflecting the pluralistic nature of Sri Lankan society, within
the framework of a united Sri Lanka and respect for individual rights. “India
maintains abiding an interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains
committed to its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. India favours
the early resumption of negotiations pertaining to the peace process. Any interim
argument on administration should be an integral part of an enduring final
settlement that maintains the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and
ensures the safety, well-being and prosperity of the people,” the statement
said.
On the question of the Sethusamudram canal
project, it was agreed that an exchange of views on the economic and
environmental aspects in relation to Ceylon would be arranged between the
technical experts of India and Ceylon. The discussions reaffirmed the
traditional conference of views between the two countries on a range of
international issues. “Both sides remain deeply committed to opposing terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations. They agreed that there could be no
justification for terrorism, be it political, religious or ideological.”
Mean while the
Marumalarchi Dravida Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary, Vaiko, today urged the
Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, not to enter into any defence cooperation
agreement with Sri Lanka. Mr. Vaiko met Dr. Singh, in Delhi and also sought to
impress upon him the need to drop the proposal for repairing the Palaly
Airfield and refitting the Sri Lankan naval ship, ‘Sayura.’ Mr. Vaiko later
told the media that Dr. Singh assured him that the Government would not take ay
step that would be against the welfare of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
In this three-page
memorandum to the Prime Minister, Mr. Vaiko said that, “it is an undeniable
fact that the Palaly Airfield was utilized by the Sri Lankan Air Force for
bombing the entire Jaffna region” including civilian areas in 1995. “The Sri
Lankan Government is trying to strengthen its military might. If confrontation
breaks out between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamils of Jaffna, the Sri
Lankan Air Force will definitely use Palaly Airfield for bombing Tamil areas.”
Mr. Vaiko said that it was his Indian Government that in such an eventuality,
India would be blamed for enabling the Sri Lankan Government to attack Tamils.
As for refitting “Sayura’ and under–writing the costs, he drew Dr. Singh’s
attention to the fact that the Sri Lankan Navy had attacked Indian fisherman
from Tamil Nadu in International waters and in international waters and even in
“our territorial waters.’ Later, Mr. Vaiko met the External Affairs Minister,
Natwar Singh, on the same issue.
CHANDRIKA CONGRATULATES
BUSH
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga,
Congratulating the U.S. President, George W. Bush, on his re-elections, has
appreciated the “principled
stand” taken by his Government “that the integrity
and sovereignty of Sri Lanka should be upheld in any negotiated settlement” to
the island-nation’s ethnic conflict. The “unprecedented results,” of the U.S.
Presidential election, Ms. Kumaratunga said, “reflect the trust the American
people have placed in your policies and leadership,”. Sri Lanka and the U.S. “
share common democratic values and perspectives on a broad range of political
issues, particularly in combating terrorism she said.
CHANDRIKA HOPEFUL OF LTTE RESUMING
TALKS
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga,
has said that she had not “lost hope completely” about the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) returning to the negotiating table. Answering questions at
conference organized by a Delhi-based newspaper, Ms. Kumaratunga said that the
Tigers were refusing to resume negotiations with the Government and were being
rather dogmatic in their attitude. The Tigers, however, had been saying that
they were committed to a negotiated settlement of the ethnic conflict and
willing to explore a federal solution to the problem.
,
TAMIL TIGERS FORCIBLY RECRUIT CHILD SOLDIERS
Human Rights watch is a
report released in New York, on November 11, 2004 - By abducting children or
threatening their families, the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have
recruited thousands of child soldiers in Sri Lanka since active fighting ended
in 2002. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or Tamil Tigers) use
intimidation and threats to pressure Tamil families in the north and east of
Ceylon to provide sons and daughters for military service. When families
refuse, their children are sometimes abducted from their homes at night or
forcibly recruited while walking to school. Parents who resist the recruitment
of their children face retribution from the Tamil Tigers, including violence or
detention. "The cease-fire has brought an end to the fighting, but not to
the Tamil Tigers' use of children as soldiers," said Jo Becker, children's
rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, and a co-author of the report.
"Many Tamil families who expected a 'peace dividend' now expect an
unwelcome visit -from armed Tamil Tiger recruiters.” The 80-page report,
"Living in Fear: Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka,"
includes firsthand testimonies from dozens of children from northeastern Ceylon
who have been recruited by the Tamil Tigers since the cease-fire came into effect.
Children described rigorous and sometimes brutal military training, including
training with heavy weapons, bombs and landmines. Children who try to escape
are beaten in front of their entire unit as a warning to others.
The Tamil Tigers have
recruited at least 3,516 children since the start of the February 2002
cease-fire with the government, according to cases documented by the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The agency states that this figure represents
only a portion of the total number of children recruited. Human Rights Watch also documented targeted
re-recruitment drives of children released from a breakaway LTTE faction
earlier this year. In March, the LTTE's Eastern commander, Colonel Karuna,
broke away from the main LTTE forces loyal to Vellupillai Prabhakaran, based in
the northern region known as the Vanni. In April, Prabhakaran's forces, known
as the Vanni LTTE, attacked and defeated Karuna's eastern forces, which quickly
disbanded. About 2,000 child soldiers fled Karuna's forces or were encouraged
by their commanders to leave. Some died in the fighting.
The Vanni LTTE quickly
began an intensive campaign to re-recruit Karuna's former forces, including
children. The Vanni forces have gone from house to house, organized village
meetings sent children letters and made announcements from motorized vehicles
to demand that the former child soldiers return. They have taken many children
by force. "They took away my younger brother the other day. He was coming
home from the market and he was taken away," said Vani, who was recruited
by the LTTE in 1997 at age 16. "They didn't release him, and they
threatened to shoot if I reported his abduction. They also told me at the same
time that I had to re-join. "International law prohibits the recruitment
of children under the age of 18 by non-state armed groups, and all
participation of children in active hostilities. The recruitment of children
under the age of 15 is now considered a war crime. The LTTE denies recruiting
children and claims that any children in its forces have joined because of
poverty, lack of educational opportunities, or the loss of their parents and
lack of alternative care.
Although some children
do join because of socio-economic factors or because they want to fight for an
independent Tamil state, such "voluntary" recruitment is also a
violation of international law.
In June 2003, the LTTE
and the Sri Lankan government agreed to a formal Action Plan on Children
Affected by War. Under the Action Plan, the Tamil Tigers agreed to end their recruitment
of children and to release children from their forces, either directly to the
children's families or to new transit centers that were constructed
specifically for this purpose. Since the Action Plan was signed, UNICEF figures
show that the LTTE has recruited more than twice as many children as it has
released. A transit center opened in October 2003 received a total of only 172
children in its first year of operation. Although the center has capacity for
100 children, it has never held more than 49, and for a six-week period in
mid-2004, was completely empty. The other two centers never opened because of
the low number of children released. "Time and again, the Tamil Tigers
have pledged to end their use of child soldiers, but each time they've broken
those promises," said Becker. "It's time for the Tamil Tigers to live
up to their legal responsibilities and stop recruiting children."
INDIA CAN HELP SOLVE ETHNIC
ISSUE, SAYS EPDP
Secretary general of Eelam People’s Democratic
Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda has said that there was perceptible change in
the Indian Government’s approach to the Sri Lankan ethnic situation. Devananda,
who is also a minister for Agricultural Market Development and Hindu affairs in
the Sri Lankan Government, had been in Delhi meeting Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and senior MEA officials, on the
possibility of Indian involvement in the Lankan peace process. “I can
understand the difficulty the Indian Government faces in direct involvement in
the talks as the LTTE is a banned organization in India. But there are other
means by which they can indirectly help in the talks,” he said, suggesting a
three pronged approach.
“First, the Defence Cooperation Pact (DCP) between
India and Sri Lanka should be signed at the earliest. It is well known that
LTTE is against the DCP. Secondly, India should periodically raise with Colombo
the issue of extradition of (LTTE supremo) Velupillai Prabhakaran, which could
strengthen the hands of the Sri Lankan Government in its negotiations. Thirdly,
India should extend moral
and political support to strengthen alternative
Tamil forces in Sri Lanka,” he said. Both India and Ceylon were bound by
religion and there were enough compelling reasons, including internal security
concerns, why India should show greater involvement in the resolutions of the
ethnic issue. Pointing out that the LTTE had by disowning the Oslo Declaration
once again proved that it was not genuinely interested in the peace talks, he
said that the LTTE had the single point agenda of a separate state under its
exclusive control. “Prabhakaran and the LTTE cannot survive in a democratic set
up, even if Interim Self Government Authority is granted, he would try and
create an East Timor like situation,” he said.
U.S. ASSAILS LTTE’S
VIOLATIONS
The United States has described the killing of an
army officer in Ceylon the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as an “assault” on
the peace process and urged all parties to return to negotiations. The Deputy Secretary
of State, Richard Armitage, on Friday spoke over phone to the Sri Lankan
President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and the Leader of the Opposition, Ranil
Wickremasinghe, to express Washington’s continued support to the peace process
“and to urge all parties to return to negotiations as soon as possible,” this
was stated in a the State Department release issued by the deputy spokesman,
Adam Ereli. “President Kumaratunga has been consistent and forthright in her
commitment to settling outstanding issues in the peace process in the frame
work of a united Sri Lanka. Deputy Secretary Armitage praised the efforts of
Norway to facilitate these talks,” the release said. Mr. Armitage has condemned
the recent “terrorist actions” of the LTTE “that fly in the face of efforts by
all other Sri Lankans and the international community to bring peace to this
wartorn country. The murder of an army officer, clearly carried out by the
LTTE, is only the most recent assault on the peace process.
LTTE’S COMMITMENT TO
FEDERAL SOLUTION IN DOUBT
The “record of Decisions” signed in December 2002
after the third round of peace negotiations makes it clear that both the Sri
Lankan Government and the LTTE had agreed on the federal option. The first
point of agreement in a four page internal document – which includes a one-page
annex – states: “Responding to a proposal by the leadership of the LTTE, the
parties agreed to explore a solution founded on the principles of internal self
determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples,
based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka. The parties
acknowledged that the solution has to be acceptable to all communities.” The
document, signed by the chief negotiators for Sri Lanka and the LTTE- G. L.
Peiris and Anton S. Balasingham-and the head of the Norwegian facilitation
team, Vidar Helgesen, also sets out a “working outline for discussion, of
political issues.”
While admitting that a proposal to explore a
federal solution was included in the record of decisions, Mr. Balasingham
objected to it being called a “declaration” through which the Tigers abandoned
separatism. Contrary to the recently elaborated position by the LTTE that it
retains the separatist option, the “Record of Decision” makes no such
references. The phrases “separatism” or “external self-determination” are
absent in the document, which contains neither a renunciation nor a reiteration
of the secessionist option. Significantly, the LTTE remained silent for nearly two
years on reports that the Oslo agreement was a “paradigm shift” and that the
Tigers had given up separatism until Mr. Balasingham’s recent book, “War and
peace: armed struggle and peace efforts of the Liberation Tigers,” questioned
such observations. The LTTE move to express opinion on a agreement reached in
Oslo two years ago and to reiterate that the separatist option had not been
abandoned come ahead of the annual Heroes’ Day speech by its leader, V.
Prabhakaran, on November 27.
A perusal of the decisions reached in Oslo also
makes it clear that another key agreement – that the Government “will return
one of the hotels in Jaffna [occupied by the Sri Lankan military] to its
original use- is yet to be implemented. The continued killings of members
opposed to the Tigers by “unidentified gunmen”- suspected by police to be
members of the LTTE’s pistol gang-despite a commitment by the LTTE that it
“accepts the right of political groups to carry out political work,” indicate
that crucial clauses of the agreement are yet to be implemented. Most
significantly, “substantive political issues” identified in Oslo two years ago
on power sharing, geographical region, human rights protection, political and
administrative mechanism, public finance and law and order-remain un
-addressed. The peace negotiations ran into rough weather immediately after the
December 2002, agreement in Oslo. Initial differences over the effectiveness of
a committee surfaced in late December 2002 - cascaded into the LTTE’s
unilateral pull-out from negotiation in April 2003, citing “tardy
implementation” of the agreement in six rounds of talks between September 2002
and March 2003. Subsequently, after rejecting two proposals made by the earlier
Ranil Wickremisinghe administration as “inadequate,” the LTTE proposed an
interim self - governing authority for the northeast and wanted it to be the
basis for resuming talks.
KARUNA WANTS INDIA’s ROLE
IN THE PEACE PROCESS
Rebel LTTE leader v. Muralitharan alias Karuna
called for an Indian role in the fumbling peace process in Ceylon. In his first
speech since he went underground after his rebellion against LTTE supremo
Prabhakaran was crushed in April, Karuna hit out at the leader, calling him a
mass killer. Karuna, who was LTTE’s longest serving regional commander until he
raised an unprecedented banner of revolt, declared that Prabhakaran, could
never be a representative leader of the Tamils. Karuna, whose whereabouts are
not known, made his speech from an undisclosed location on the occasion of the
LTTE’s annual Martyrs Day.
Prabhakaran commiserates the event every year with
his own policy statement. It was on this day in 1982 that the LTTE lost its
first guerrilla. Although Karuna has split from the LTTE, he considers LTTE
fighters who died fighting over the past two decades as “martyrs” for the cause
of an independent Tamil Eelam state in Ceylon. In what could be troubling for
the Tamil Tigers, who are outlawed in India, Karuna declared that only New
Delhi could play a role that could benefit Tamils as well as the Sinhalese
community in Ceylon.
MASSIVE INVESTOR
CONFIDENCE IN THE SHARE ISSUE OF INDIAN OIL CORPORATION
The initial public offering of shares in the Sri
Lankan unit of Indian Oil Corporation was heavily over- subscribed amid growing
investor confidence in the island nation. “The issue is likely to be
over-subscribed by at least 2-3 times,’ Dharshan Perera from NDB investment
Bank told Dow Jones News wires. Lanka Indian Oil Coporation (IOC), a fuel
retailing company, is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation. The
offer is for 100 million ordinary shares but with the over subscription, they
have increased the initial offering to 133.3 million shares in the price band
of Rs. 23-27, Mr. Perera said. The IPO is the island’s biggest to date and
surpasses a $ 32 million (euro 24 million) IPO by Sri Lanka Telecom in late
2002. Proceeds from the IPO will be used to update the company’s retail outlets
and 99 storage tanks in the strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee, which
are estimated to cost $5 million (euro 23 million). Lanka IOC will also use the
proceeds from the IPO to build a $ 5 million (euro 3.7 million) lubricants
blending plant in Trincomalee next year and the company is considering
investing in bunker and aviation fuel business as part
of its long-term expansion plants. After the IPO, Indian Oil will own 75 per
cent of Lanka IOC.
CURFEW IN TRINCOMALEE
AFTER GRENADE ATTACK
Meanwhile curfew was imposed in Trincomalee town
and its suburbs today following a grenade attack in which one person was
killed. The Army was deployed and additional troops were rushed to the
sensitive town, which has been rocked by sporadic clashes between Sinhalese and
Tamils and a continued deterioration in the law and order situation during the
last few months. The Sri Lankan Chief of Staff, Daya Sandagiri, and the Army
commander, Shantha Kottegoda, rushed to Trincomalee for an on the-spot
assessment on the instructions of the President, Chandrika Kumaratunga. The Security and law and order situation in
Trincomalee, 257 km northeast of Colombo, is crucial to the continuation of the
cease-fire agreement as the town is close to areas controlled by the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Muslim majority towns. The 1995 truce between
the Government and the rebels was broken after an LTTE attack on the
Trincomalee port.
CANADA’S GRAVE
CONCERN
The Canadian government
expressed its strong support for the Norwegian –facilitated peace process and
showed concern about the continuing impasse that prevents a resumption of peace
talks, a communiqué from the Canadian High Commission said. The Canadian High
Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ms. Valerie Ramond urged the LTTE to return to peace
talks and show flexibility with regard to peace negotiations.
In her meeting with the
LTTE political head Thamilselvan in Killinochchi, the High Commissioner
conveyed to the LTTE Canada’s grave concern over the deteriorating security
situation and ongoing political killings and urged them to also fully respect
the Ceasefire agreement and to promote and respect human rights. She told the
LTTE that Canada remained concerned over the reports of continued recruitment
of children,” said a press release from the High Commission. The statement said
the government should “continue its efforts to forge a consensus, within the
governing UPFA coalition, to resume the talks as soon as possible,” and to seek
bipartisan support for advancement of the peace process.” It said Canada
believes that a negotiated settlement, which satisfies the legitimate
aspirations of all Sri Lankans, is the only way to secure a lasting peace.
KILLING AND
CHILD CONSCRIPTION MUST BE STOPPED
Representatives of three
human right organizations met the visiting LTTE group, headed by its political
wing leader, SP. Thamilchelvan and had discussions in Geneva, Switzerland. The
human rights representatives at the discussion urged the LTTE to stop their
killing spree and the child conscription immediately and respect the
international humanitarian and human rights in Ceylon and they have to prove to
the world how they honour these rights. The meeting was held on 05.10.2004 and
representatives from International Commission of Jurist, Human rights Watch and
Amnesty International participated. Mr. Nicholas Howen, the Secretary General
of the International Commission for Jurist has called upon the LTTE to prove
their commitment and sincerity on the lives and rights of all the people in
Ceylon, and show their respects to the international humanitarian and human
rights and prove to the public how they activate them.
The Geneva Director of
Human Rights Watch, Loubna Freih, said that the LTTE must take measures to
resume peace talks but it had escalated the political killings and conscription
of children to the military units. The LTTE in their assassinations included,
members of rival political parties, renegade LTTE faction and informants of the
military. This is a hindrance for the resumption of peace negotiations, said
Peter Splinter, the representative of the Amnesty International. The
condemnation of the human rights movements on the killings, conscription’s and
human rights violations of the LTTE has brought inconvenience to the visiting
LTTE group in Geneva. They can no longer avoid the accusation leveled at them
by saying that those killings are done by some unknown persons or a third
party, observers said.
EELAM UPDATE IS NOW ON THE WEBSITE
Readers can now access
Eelam Update on the OfERR website at www.oferr.org
to download the monthly Eelam Update soon after it is released. Eelam Update
will reach you much faster through the website than through hard copies sent
through postal mail. You can also access the latest information regarding the
Ceylon Tamil Refugees in Tamil Nadu India through the same website.