Govt striving to revive peace process - Rambukwella

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Norwegian facilitators, Special Peace Envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer and International Development Minister Erik Solheim, are expected to pressure the LTTE to get back to the negotiating table during their stay in Sri Lanka, Government Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

He said Norwegian International Development Minister Solheim will join the Norwegian Special Envoy Hansen Bauer who has already arrived in the country on Tuesday to continue their discussion with the Government and the LTTE on May 25, 26 and 27.

"The Government has taken the lead and taken every possible step to move forward the peace process although there was no favourable response from the LTTE," Minister Rambukwella said.

The Peace Secretariat Chief had visited all the countries concerned and held discussions to get back the LTTE to truce talks.

"We have taken every possible step within the democratic framework to see that the peace talks are back on track," he said.

"The delegates are expected to put pressure on the LTTE, though the Norwegian International Development Minister has already made an unofficial statement that they cannot expect a favourable response from the LTTE towards commencing negotiations," the Minister added.

Minister Rambukwella pointed out that LTTE was trying various strategies to revive their misinformation campaign. He said they are now in another tactical move to take advantage out of the complexity in the Indian politics following the recently concluded election in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu by encouraging and pressurising the Tamil civilians in the East to move to Tamil Nadu as refugees.

"They are engaged in a campaign sending these civilians as refugees to South India," the Minister added. The Minister however pointed out that the Government had not left any room to put the civilians in a miserable status even after the Sampoor air raid.

"The Government took prompt action by appointing a Special Task Force headed by the Governor of the North-East to assist the people who had been affected by the air raids within four hours after air raids in Sampoor," the Minister pointed out. He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has allocated Rs. 100 million to provide relief for the affected people and to pay compensation for the affected people.

"There may be shortcomings in this programme but the Government is making a determined effort to provide relief for the affected people," he said.