|
The 1995 Peace Process
I n late 1994, following the election of Chandrika Kumaratunga as President of Sri Lanka, the LTTE entered into negotiations with the new Sri Lankan government in order to find a peaceful solution to the conflict on the island. For several months, the LTTE persisted in attempting to elicit a solution to the conflict from the Sri Lankan government - a solution that would end the decades of injustice and discrimination against the Tamil people and ensure a lasting and just peace. The talks ended in fiasco. The Sri Lankan government refused to create the conditions of peace and normalcy in the war-torn Tamil areas conducive to negotiations. From the outset of the talks, the LTTE requested that the Sri Lankan government should relax its intense economic and military pressure on the Tamil populace (which had been in place for several years). To this end, the LTTE requested that the draconian economic embargo (including food and medicine) on the Tamil areas should be lifted, the ban on fishing (which had made a large number of Tamil fishing families destitute) should be lifted and the Sri Lanka Army base at Pooneryn should be removed (as it was obstructing free movement of the Tamil populace on the peninsula to/from the rest of the island). The LTTE maintained that these day-to-day problems of the Tamil populace should be resolved (so as to alleviate their considerable hardship) before negotiations on the fundamental solution to the conflict could begin. The LTTE expressed its goodwill by releasing Sri Lankan prisoners of war. Despite agreeing to this position at the outset of the talks, the Sri Lanka government dragged its feet and these requests were never implemented, and the Tamil people's hardships continued. Furthermore, shortly after negotiations began, the government reversed its initial position and demanded that a fundamental solution to the conflict should be established before the populace's day-to-day problems were resolved. The Sri Lanka government never attached any importance to the peace talks with the LTTE. Whilst the LTTE leadership sent senior persons (with sufficient authority to enter into negotiations) to the talks, the Sri Lankan government delegated junior bureaucrats (who lacked the authority to negotiate on the government's behalf). High ranking Sri Lankan political leaders did not participate in the talks. The Sri Lankan government also failed to take seriously the LTTE's position that they were prepared to consider a political framework that recognises the Tamil homeland with full form of autonomy to the Tamils. The LTTE's concerns on these developments were communicated to the Sri Lankan government in several letters written by the Tamil national leader, Mr. V. Pirapaharan to the Sri Lankan President. Some of the letters were also released to the press. The LTTE also issued several press releases during the talks, highlighting its concerns. The Sri Lankan government was reluctant to enter a permanent cease-fire with international supervision. Instead, under the guise of a fragile cessation of hostilities, the government embarked on a significant military expansion program. Furthermore, Sri Lankan security forces broke the temporary cease-fire several times, such as by carrying out search operations and attacks on the LTTE, during which LTTE members and Tamil civilians were killed and considerable hardships inflicted on the Tamil people. The LTTE became convinced that the government was not sincerely interested in resolving the ethnic conflict by negotiating. The LTTE also became convinced that the government was not prepared to offer any substantial political framework that could satisfy the political aspirations of the Tamil people. Under these circumstances, when the talks prolonged meaninglessly, the LTTE issued deadlines - which the government did not take seriously. Finally, reluctantly, the LTTE informed the Sri Lankan government in a letter (which was also released to the press) that if it (the government) did not resolve the day-to-day problems and enter into meaningful negotiations, the LTTE would be forced to resume its military operations on 28 March 1995. Even though there was no practical progress in resolving the day-to-day problems of the Tamil people, due to further promises by the Sri Lankan government, the LTTE extended its deadline to 19 April, in another letter sent on 28 March. This letter (carrying the deadline of 19 April) was also issued to the press, nearly three weeks ahead of the resumption of military operations (though the cease-fire rules only required 72 hours notification). The Sri Lankan government ignored the LTTE's letter and there was no change in the situation and on April 19, 1995, the LTTE resumed its armed struggle. Having created the conditions for the breakdown of the talks, the government blamed the LTTE . It carried out a false propaganda campaign internationally that the LTTE was against the peace process. In truth, it was the Sri Lankan government which is opposed to a just and peaceful solution to the conflict. Here we have collected a number of documents related to the 1995 talks, including a number of press releases issued by the LTTE during the negotiations, a number of comments published by the LTTE International Secretariat (including one immediately after the resumption of hostilities) and a speech made by the head of the LTTE's political section made in the Tamil homelands just prior to the resumption. We also include two interviews given by Mr. Pirapaharan, LTTE leader, to the British Broadcasting Cooperation before and after the abortive negotiations with the Sri Lankan government. We hope these documents will dispel some myths about the LTTE's position during the 1995 talks and its position with regards to a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The LTTE has maintained throughout the conflict that it is committed to a peaceful solution to the conflict that will allow the Tamil people to exercise their full democratic rights. Eelam House LTTE Press Releases
Taking forward the peace process (10.09.94) Speeches and Interviews
BBC interview with Mr.V.Pirapaharan (13.09.94) Comment by LTTE International Secretariat
Peace: Can Chandrika Deliver the goods
|