Political Column

Political Column

The LTTE puts its best heads together

Dates have now been fixed for the LTTE's 'internal peace meeting'' to discuss a response to the government's Interim Administration proposals. The LTTE legal experts - named exclusively in this column two weeks ago -- will meet in Paris between the 21st and 27th of this month.

Lawyers will analyse the proposals with a fine tooth-comb and will at the end of the Paris sessions come out with a set of counter proposals which they hope to hand the Sri Lankan government as a prelude to talks.

The LTTE consultations in expensive Paris will be funded by the Norwegians, even though Paris is a willing host.

The LTTE it is said will be determined in these sessions on proving that it is an outfit that's equally capable of waging peace as it is of waging war.

Apparently the LTTE is putting all its legal minds together to outdo the government in the 'legal department''. This is to say that the LTTE feels that it has the capacity to evolve proposals that are legally solid and workable and will be a challenge to the government's legal input on the Interim proposals.

After the counter proposals are made, it will be a question of the government having to study and respond to them, and it is therefore unlikely that September will be a period for a resumption of the talks even though Sri Lankan chief negotiator Minister G.L. Peiris has said that September will be the likely month in which the talks will be resumed.

When Norwegian peace maker at large Erik Solheim and Norwegian Ambassador Hans Bratskar met S. P. Thamilchelvan, the political wing leader of the LTTE and probably its chief negotiator at any forthcoming talks, probable resumption of talks was one of the issues that came in for discussion.

But, the government of Sri Lanka also sent a message that the Kinniya camp should be removed, and the government's position is that the LTTE has agreed to look into the matter and study it carefully. This is definitely not to say that the LTTE has agreed to dismantle the camp.

Thamilchelvan was also meeting the constituent parties of the Tamil National Alliance separately, and as one of the first undertakings in this process, last week he met the leaders of the TELO (Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation.)

It is said that the LTTE is seeking maximum input from the civilians in the North East on the Interim Administration proposals. The LTTE is conducting extensive consultations, for instance, with certain grassroots organisations that it has set up in the North and the East. These grassroots organisations go by the style and name of Organisations for National Resurgence.

Contrasted
The LTTE appears to be determined to indicate that its moves towards any Interim administration are with the full concurrence of the people of the North and the East. They perhaps want this to be contrasted with the approach of the Sri Lankan government regarding the Interim administration proposals which were opaque in a sense and not in consultation with the people.

The government being government seems to work with several considerations in mind, and one of them is that there is definitely one election at least which is definitely on the cards. This is the Wayamba (North Western provincial council) elections which constitutionally have to be held before January of next year.

All indications now are that the President prefers having all Provincial council elections together, when Wayamba goes to the polls. These forthcoming polls are looming large over any decisions that are on the minds of the government's political think-tanks.

The government this week planned to spend rupees 10, 400 million over 290 day for an intensive rural electrification scheme, on the thinking that electrification will instantly uplift the quality of life of rural dwellers. Rupees 200 million will also be spent each month for revamping the road system which is part of a huge infrastructure development initiative the government has in mind.

Both government and opposition organisational machines are being put into high gear, and it can only be surmised that polls are the reasons for both entities to get their respective acts together.

For example, the President is seeking to revamp the workings of the President's office, on the rationale that there has been general neglect of the President' s office and its functions which has led to a general deterioration of Presidential initiative and image.

Therefore, for example, when the new Presidential Secretary was appointed, Mano Tittawella, one of those that can be described as a management expert with PERC experience to boot, was simultaneously appointed to head the Presidential office.

Though the President indicated this week that the oversight committees (19 of them) should be integrally tied to the electoral reform process and the Select Committee on Electoral Reform now headed by Dinesh Goonewardene, the government is clear on the view that the Oversight Committees are separate bodies.

But, the government is willing to concede that no Ministers and Deputies can sit in the Oversight Committees, which are essentially mechanisms by which the opposition can call up Ministers and deputies, and examine the workings of corporations and other bodies which come under various Ministries. All 19 Oversight Committees will hence be chaired by Opposition Members of parliament.

Compromise
Political friction was somewhat mute this week between government and Opposition, but this week it did not seem to be in any special spirit of compromise or consensus but due to the fact that Thai PM Thakshin Shinawatra was meeting the President and the Prime Minister and addressing Parliament. Shinawatra also was among other things, interviewed by Minister Milinda Moragoda, for his program Black and White aired by MTV television. Moragoda is said to be contemplating a back seat in the peace process, but at least it is black and white that he will not disappear into the background.

If there was friction this week the most acrimonious of this friction came from within the government ranks.

When it was conveyed to Interior Minister John Amaratunge that he will not be able to progress much further in his tour of Jaffna due to protesting mothers, he thought (and thought wrong ) that the fracas can be tided over. Soon he was informed that fellow Ministers Jayalth Jaywewardene's men may be sabotaging the tour. Though the Minister returned to Colombo the shouting match between him and Minister Jaywradene went on , and Minister Jayewardene said that he has nothing to do with the protests against the Interior Minister's visit and was willing to make an assurance to the Prime Minister to this effect.

Firing again
Minister Rajitha Senaratne kept up the customary fusillade, firing again at someone who is perceived to be an UNPer and not a supporter of President Kumaratge.

Senaratne blasted the Treasury at the pre-Cabinet briefing which was chaired this week by Minister Karu Jayauriya in the absence of the Prime Minister.

He said that the government should not brook any nonsense from the Treasury and in this he was supported by the always volatile Minister of Consumer Affairs who said that the Treasury Secretary Charitha Ratwatte had the gall to ask private suppliers of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment to take the CWE to court.

All of the venom however was as a result of the Emirates deal, which was struck down again and again by Karunanayake and Senaratne. Now it will become an issue that will not disappear -- because Minister Karu Jayasuriya has said he will draw the attention of the Prime Minister to the anomalies in the Emirates deal and the malpractices or oversights that would have possibly led to these anomalies.

The matter of the draft Interim administration proposals refused to die this week however indicating that nothing is over until the fat lady sings. That's' to borrow from an operatic reference, but the fact is that the President fired off yet another letter to the Prime Minister saying that she cannot accept his position that the Interim administration proposals that were sent to her in draft form and sent to the LTTE were one and the same.

India - then China, and maybe Thailand

While the Prime Minister visited China the government was almost simultaneously on overdrive regarding improving relations with India and Thailand.

But the moves made with regard to Thailand and China are almost routine compared with the special concern that the government is showing towards India. The general experts view on this is that India will be a pivotal factor, or will be seen as the pivotal factor as far as an Interim administration in the North and the East is concerned.

Political pundits and analysts have already pointed out that India may not want a LTTE dominated Interim administration to the South of it for obvious reasons.

They do not want the LTTE running around - -and running the show - - just over the hedge, so to speak, beyond Tamil Nadu.

The hope among the government's foreign policy and political punditry is that India will not be against the Interim administration itself but will only be against certain elements in the Interim administration design. Obviously India will not want LTTE hegemony, but short of that the government is hopeful that India will not actively work against an Interim administration in the North of Sri Lanka as part of an ongoing peace initiative.

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha's arrival for the Joint Commission meeting in Colombo has been postponed because the Minister decided to be in the Lok Sabha when a no confidence motion was brought against fellow Minister George Fernandez.

India is the largest exporter of goods to Sri Lanka and is the 5th largest importer of goods from Sri Lanka, which is one of the reason that India looms large in Sri Lanka equation.

India is also the third largest investor in Sri Lanka with investments in the region of US$ 400 million. Indian nationals comprise the highest number of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, and a US $ 100 million line of credit was opened by the Indian government, while a special credit arrangement of US $ 31 million supply of wheat from India was signed in July of 2002.

India is also considered a contributor to the Defence process, as the country has contributed to the majority of the training of Sri Lankan armed forces. The above list would give at least a slight indication of why the government is keen to have India as an active and cooperating partner in the Sri Lanka peace process.

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