NEWS

Political storm in Sri Lanka after truce deal

Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan signs the ceasefire agreement,
while Mr Thamilchelvan looks on.

Mr S P Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) political section, presents Norwegian Ambassador Jon Westborg with ceasefire agreement signed by the leader of the LTTE, Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan

Ambassodor Westborg introduces his wife to Mr Thamilchelvan

Politics of cohabitation in governing Sri Lanka seem to be collapsing this week with main opposition parties planning to take legal action against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government for signing the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers, state radio said Monday.

The newly elected government is this week embroiled in an escalating confrontation with President Chandrika Kumaatunga who, infuriated by Wickremesinghe's decision to enter into a permanent ceasefire with the LTTE, has became increasingly uncooperative in affairs of state and openly critical of his policies.

Wickremesinghe had planned to promote seven non-Cabinet ministers on Mon-day, but Kumaratunga played hard-to-get and put off the official swearing-in ceremony by three days, officials said. The move and Kumaratunga's vehement public criticism severely undermines Wickremesinghe's efforts to pursue a policy of "cohabitation" between the Parliament, controlled by the newly elected United National Front (UNF), and the President's office.
Kumaratunga's main opposition People's Alliance (PA) has also joined with the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) to mount a legal challenge to the truce, citing a breach of the constitution, state radio announced Monday. Kumaratunga has accused Wickremesinghe's government of violating cabinet procedures and rushing to conclude the Norway-sponsored permanent ceasefire, which came into effect over the weekend.

A fierce opponent of negotiations with the LTTE, the President had last Thurs-day point-blank refused to sign the agreement, compelling Wickremesinghe to authorise the Sri Lankan government's assent to the indefinite truce, himself. The agreement had already been endorsed by the LTTE.

Officials at Kumaratunga's office said she would soon make a detailed statement on the ceasefire agreement. The President has deputed the former Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, to consult legal experts on the fault-lines of the agreement, and the PA statement is likely to point them out, the Hindu reported Monday. The President herself believes she can punch holes through the agreement on several counts, the paper said, quoting sources close to her.

Within minutes of the truce announcement on Friday, an angry Ms. Kumaratunga lambasted the government for not consulting her or the cabinet and Parliament before sealing the pact, and said she was concerned about specific clauses in the agreement.

However, the UNF has denied the President's charge that the cabinet had not been consulted and said it was ready to debate the truce in Parliament. In a bid to arrest the growing acrimony, the UNF said it would advance the date of the Parliamentary debate on the truce to March 4, next Monday. The PA wanted an immediate debate this week.

Cabinet spokesman G.L. Peiris said the cabinet had discussed the proposed ceasefire agreement on February 20 and February 21 and had endorsed its provisions in "unequivocal terms." The government said the President had not attended the cabinet meeting. Kumaratunga said that no indication had been given ahead of the meeting that the truce would be discussed.

While Kumaratunga's opposition to the truce was echoed by Sinhala hardliners, including the JVP and other far-right parties, the deal was enthusiastically welcomed by the international community, Sri Lanka's peoples and even partners in her PA coalition. On Monday Pakistan and Australia echoed the welcoming statements issued in rapid succession Friday by India, the United States, Britain, Japan and Canada.

Although Wickremesinghe controls the government, the executive power of appointing ministers rests with the President. Both arguably have the power to block each other, with financial control resting with parliament. On the other hand Kumaratunga will have the power to sack the legislature upon its completion of one year in office in December - but Parliament can in the meantime move to impeach the President.

Sinhala chauvinists oppose deal

Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga Friday summoned her Parliamentary allies, the Marxist and ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) for a four-hour crisis meeting to discuss a common plan of action to oppose the pact, The Island reported. "This is nothing less than a democratic government kneeling before terrorists. This is treason," the JVP had said, while vowing to organise mass protests against the accord.

"The present truce which followed the signing of the MoU between the UNF government and the LTTE is a serious threat to the security, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the country," said Mr.Wimal Weerawansa, JVP parliamentary group leader.

The truce has also drawn fire from the Buddhist clergy, one of the most powerful institutions in largely Buddhist Sri Lanka. "There is a double standard in this so-called ceasefire," Rambukwella Vipassi, one of four chief Buddhist monks was quoted as saying by The Island newspaper.

But one of Kumaratunga's Parliamentary allies Monday urged her not to derail the peace process. "The ceasefire agreement that came into force … Saturday was the best of its kind so far. The President of the country and other political parties should not engage in any acts which could instill fear among the general public," said the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.
Meanwhile several leading trade unions in the plantation sector Saturday urged President Kumaratunge and other political parties not to sabotage the internationally monitored cease-fire agreement. One Buddhist leader, the Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera, was quoted in state media as appealing "to all rational and peace loving people to be wise and strong and extend our collective commitment to the peace process."

Rehabilitation Minister Jayalath Jayewardene says he is convinced that the PA-JVP campaign would not have any impact on the peace process. "People are fed up with the war," he said while blasting the opposition for seeking to cripple the peace process. The international community has backed the agreement, he said while expressing confidence that the opposition would not be able to inspire people against the bid to end the north-east crisis by political means.

Monitoring chief to meet Balasingham

The former Norwegian army commander who has been tasked to head up the international group monitoring the permanent ceasefire signed by the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers, is to visit London Wednesday to meet the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor, the Tamil Guardian learns. Retired Major General of Norwegian army Trond Furuhovde will be accompanied by Erik Solheim, the Special Advisor to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.

Mr. Furuhovde is to arrive in Sri Lanka next week as the head of the international monitoring mission. Mr. Furuhovde, an experienced monitor in international conflicts has also served as the head of UN International Forces in Lebanon in the early nineties.

Officials from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Fin-land will arrive in Sri Lanka shortly to monitor the ceasefire, reports said. The SL-MM will consist of fifteen members, a senior Norwegian Foreign ministry official told the BBC.

They will be based in six different locations: Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Vavuniya and Mannar. Two liaison offices are to be established in Colombo and Killinochchi.

Sri Lanka appeals for reconstruction aid

In the wake of a landmark permanent ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers, Sri Lanka's new government appealed on Sunday for international aid to help rebuild its war-devastated north and east, AFP reported.

Despite the signing of the indefinite truce, Prime Minister Ranil Wickreme-singhe said it would be some time before he could free up cash from a $720-million-dollar annual defence budget. "Savings from military operations will be very little at the start and we need the money urgently," Wickreme-singhe told a news conference. Press reports this week said the military had been assured of the government’s support.

The government expects defence spending this year to be about $720 million, roughly the same as in 2001. Wickremesinghe said he hoped donors would not wait until the final settlement of the island's protracted ethnic conflict that has put the skids under the economy.

"We are trying to fast-track some of those funds earmarked as post-conflict aid," he said, but declined to say how much.

Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda said he had received "very positive signs" from donors who put pressure on the government to end nearly two decades of ethnic blood-letting.
The central bank expects economic growth, which fell below zero last year for the first time in half a century, to jump three percentage points if the government strikes a deal with the Tamil Tigers.

Mass rallies to support LTTE, peace process

Mass rallies in the Tamil homelands in support of the Liberation Tigers and the Norwegian peace initiative were attended by thousands of Tamil and Muslim people, press reports said.

About ten thousand people thronged Trincomalee Sunday morning for a peace march and the rally. Many carried large photographs of Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, the LTTE leader. The marchers shouted slogans demanding the lifting of the ban on the LTTE and to remove all restrictions on fishing. Students shouted the slogan "Tamil is our life."

The peace march was organized by the non-governmental organizations in the Trincomalee district along with students' unions, teachers' unions, trade unions, farmers' and fishermen's societies and the Tamil National Alliance.

"It was the leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Pirapaharan, who made the Sinhala parties and the whole world accept that there should be a just an honourable solution to the Tamil national question," Mr. R. Sampanthan, the parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance, told the crowd.

Last week, an estimated forty five thousand people swarmed into the Kottaimunai stadium in Sri Lanka Army controlled Batticaloa town. Boy scouts and Tiger stewards took over their role and controlled the people and traffic while the security forces stayed in their fortifications.