The JVP, which opposes the UNF government's peace process, has accused the government of putting the lives of Sinhala and Muslim peoples in the Northeast at risk by removing 213 army camps to appease the LTTE.

The government denied this charge and said troops had only been withdrawn from public buildings and places of worship in terms of the ceasefire agreement but they would be relocated in the same area.

According to the agreement, troops occupying these public buildings and places of worship have to be re-located by August 2. It is expected that the much-delayed peace talks with the LTTE will begin after this date.

Initially, the LTTE wanted to discuss the formation of the interim administration for the North and the East at the talks scheduled to be held in Thailand, but the government had indicated that other issues should also be discussed at the meeting. Both the government and the LTTE admit there is a wide gap between their positions but hope it could be bridged as the talks progress. The government also hopes to brief the opposition at every important stage of the talks, in terms of the Liam Fox agreement between the UNP and the PA.

Despite this spirit of consensus, there were undercurrents threatening to scuttle the peace process. Some UNPers allege that the PA is making use of the JVP to undermine the government's peace efforts. They even accuse President Chandrika Kumaratunga of being instrumental in undermining the process in spite of her assurance that she would not stand in the way of the peace process.

It is learnt, that the President, as the executive head of the country, is in touch with her lawyers to ascertain whether the government is going in the right direction.

When the Amnesty International delegation headed by one of its former secretary general Derek Evans met the President and a host of her advisors, including former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, some vital issues were discussed.

The AI delegation told the President that though the LTTE was effectively running at least 15 police stations and courts in areas under its-control, much needed to be done to improve the human rights situation there. The delegation also told the President that in their meeting with the Prime Minister, they obtained an assurance that the government would help the AI's effort to improve the human rights situation in the rebel-controlled areas. The President started from this point and raised several matters.

Apparently expressing her discontent over the AI's meeting with the LTTE, the President said it could amount to granting recognition to an illegitimate outfit without proper recourse to the constitutional process.

The President was opposing the AI's stance in recognising the LTTE's administrative structure, which she believed had no legal or constitutional recognition especially in view of the ban on the rebel group.

The President's view was that the LTTE was clearly playing a political game to gain international recognition while the government was tolerating it in the hope that the LTTE would fall in line.

She said she believed that issues such as human rights should be taken up at the peace talks and then discussed with other political parties so that necessary safeguards could be legislated when parliament sanctions the LTTE-run interim administration.

Qualifying her position, the President said she was not standing in the way but was concerned about certain important issues regarding the peace process.

This is the position of the PA as well. The party believes that whatever agreement the government reaches with the LTTE in setting up the interim administration for the Northeast should carry the legal and legislative stamp.

The President's legal experts have apparently advised her that in terms of the 13th amendment to the Constitution it was the President and the governor of the Northeast who could decide on the nature of the administration of the merged province.

In other words, if anyone except the President gives a directive to the Governor, he or she is intentionally violating the constitution. Such an exercise of power would warrant a dismissal from office or even deprivation of civic rights.

Legal points apart, the President is now in a powerful position after the midweek planetary change,some astrologers say. The powerful Jupiter moved into its exalted position cancer, her zodiac sign, they claim The pertinent question is whether she would make a wrong move solely depending on the planetary configurations.

The movement of celestial bodies is one thing and moves on the political chessboard are another. Though armed with all sorts of legal opinion she should not make the wrong move at the wrong time putting the country in jeopardy. At the moment, people are confident that their problems, especially the skyrocketing cost of living, would be solved if a permanent peace is achieved. Therefore the President should be cautious in expressing her reservations, because people could say that it is she who is blocking the peace process.

At the same time the government should also be mindful of the pitfalls on the road to peace. It is important that they take a judicious view of what is taking place in the North and the East before taking a decision, for any ad hoc decision may lead to disaster.

The immediate concern for the Wickremesinghe administration is the troop withdrawal from public buildings in the Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts.

The Sinhalese and the Muslims in the East are demanding that the troops be stationed where they are as a security measure against possible LTTE attacks.
Minister and SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem is facing a dilemma and he is in close contact with both the government and the opposition on the situation in the East.

Mr. Hakeem is of the view that the government should delay the withdrawal of the armed forces in the East. At the SLMC politburo meeting last week, the SLMC hierarchy blamed the government for failing to protect the Muslims in the East.

"They are in government today became of us" one member said.

The SLMC members charged that the government had failed to honour a pledge that adequate safeguards would be taken in the ceasefire agreement to protect the rights of the Muslims.

The SLMC leadership is now studying ways and means to counter the LTTE's threat to the Muslims in the East. One of the options Mr. Hakeem is thinking of is pressurising the government to put more conditions on the LTTE to protect the East.

The government is also in a dilemma. On the one hand, it has to preserve the peace process and therefore it cannot antagonise the LTTE. On the other, it cannot earn the wrath of one of their main allies whose support was necessary to maintain the parliamentary majority. In this situation, the government may not be able to meet the August 2 deadline for troop withdrawal.

In the meantime it is reported that the leader of LTTE political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvan got in touch with Minister Hakeem on Thursday morning to discuss matters relating to the situation in the East.

Mr. Thamilchelvan told Mr. Hakeem that their cadres in the East were not aware of the lifestyle of the Muslims and therefore Mr. Hakeem and other Muslim leaders should discuss matters with LTTE area leaders to sort out problems.

Will Mr. Hakeem accede to such a request is difficult to fathom at this stage, because he is under heavy pressure from Muslim activists in the East, who have criticised his 'soft stance' towards the LTTE.

Mr.. Hakeem is also said to be seriously considering the 18th Amendment to the constitution that enables members to cross over and vote according to their conscience when national issues are debated in Parliament.

At the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the ministers once again questioned the President on the luxury vehicles she imported for the presidential security division during the past few years.

Although 48 vehicles have been imported for this purpose, she could account for only 35 vehicles when Ministers Ravi Karunanayake and Rajitha Senaratne raised the issue.

When an angry President took on Minister K.N. Choksy, he said the President was responsible to the cabinet and she should tell the ministers what happened.

She, however, agreed to submit details while some ministers levelled a fresh charge that vehicles used by the Sydney Olympic organisers two years ago had been imported as brand new vehicles.

Minister Choksy had earlier written to President Kumaratunga on this subject. Excerpts from the letter:

"I write with the concurrence and on behalf of the above Cabinet Sub Committee and consequent to the Note to Cabinet submitted by Your Excellency on the 19th June, 2002.

"The List of vehicles annexed to Your Excellency's note does not state the registration numbers of the vehicles. As agreed by yourself at the Cabinet discussion, please forward the registration numbers, as these are required for verification.

"The Cabinet Sub Committee also notes that Your Excellency's List shows the importation of only 25 Benz and BMW cars and 10 jeeps, aggregating 35 vehicles, during the above two years.

"The information with particulars obtained by the Cabinet Sub Committee from the Director General of Customs and the Local Agents establish that a total of 48 vehicles comprising Benz, BMW and Range Rover cars, Land Rover cars, Land Rover Defenders and Nissan Patrols jeeps were imported by the Presidential Secretariat during the period from 01st January, 2000 to 01st January, 2001.

"Upon an analysis of the List annexed to Your Excellency's Note to the Cabinet, the first five vehicles shown therein have to be excluded in as much as they are vehicles imported during the terms of office of President Jayewardene and President Premadasa and also used by yourself prior to the bomb attack on the 19th December, 1999. The importations of the 48 vehicles referred to in the Presidential Secretariat's aforesaid request to the Treasury were made from and after 21st January, 2000, which was after the bomb attack as indicated in the attached schedule. Accordingly, the list submitted by Your Excellency accounts for only 35 out of the 48 vehicles imported during the years 2000 and 2001. The Cabinet Sub Committee requests Your Excellency's observations on the balance 13 vehicles.

"Furthermore, our inquiries reveal that a quantity of ten BMW motorcycles was also imported by the Presidential Secretariat on the 10th August, 2000. I annex a List setting out the full particulars of same. The Cabinet Sub Committee desires Your Excellency's information as to in whose possession these motorcycles are.

"Could you please also inform the Cabinet Sub Committee whether or not tenders or quotations were called for prior to the purchase orders being placed for the 48 vehicles and 10 motorcycles and whether Cabinet approval was obtained for the purchases.

"The Cabinet Sub Committee would also desire to be informed as to the identity of the company named M/s. R.R. Navigareim IM & Exp. Germany, the ownership of the company and why this company was involved in the imports of the vehicles by the Presidential Secretariat. This company has also been named as the beneficiary in the applications for Irrevocable Letters of Credit made by the Presidential Secretariat.

"Budgetary provision granted by the Treasury for the import of vehicles for the Presidential Secretariat was Rs. 63,586,290 in 2000. However the total cost of the 48 vehicles to the Government was in the region of Rs. 2,469,699,262, inclusive of all levies. The Cabinet Sub Committee is mindful of the fact that vehicles for the use of the President are exempt from customs and excise duties, but is unable to make a deduction on this score in the absence of the information as to how many vehicles out of the total of 48 are being used by Your Excellency.

"We shall also be thankful for information as to whether the requisite Cabinet/Parliament approval was obtained for the excess expenditure of approximately Rs. 2,406,112,972/=.

"The shortfall of 13 vehicles in the List submitted in Your Excellency's Note to the Cabinet also requires particular clarification.

The vehicle episode brings out a conflict situation with clearly drawn battle lines. On the one side the government is all draggers drawn to attack the President on the vehicle issue. On the other, the President is ready to use her full powers as executive president when the opportunity arises.

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