Sri Lanka Plays Down Consequences of Sea Clash between Navy, Tamil Rebels

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, June 16, 2003

Sri Lanka Plays Down Consequences of Sea Clash between Navy, Tamil Rebels

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The Sri Lankan government has played down the consequences of a sea clash between the navy and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels on Saturday in a bid to dispel fearsamong the general public that the rebels might go back to the ethnic war which has plagued the country for two decades.

Constitutional Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris told reporters hereon Monday that the risk for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels to return to war does not exist as the rebels have constantly emphasized that there is no question of slipping back to war.

The war fears were raised following the sinking of a rebel boatin the sea near Trincomalee in northeast of the country during early hours of Saturday.

Contradictory reports said that the LTTE rebels blasted the boat suspected of smuggling weapons while 12 rebels jumped overboard or the boat was sunk by the navy.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) are conducting investigation into the incident amid strong protest from the LTTE who have warned of dire consequences caused by the conflict.

Peiris said that it is not appropriate for him to make any comment on the incident before the Scandinavian monitors reach their conclusion on investigation.

He said that the challenge faced by the government at the moment is to revive the stalled Norwegian-brokered peace process since April 21 when the rebels decided to pull out of peace talks with the government and stay away from the Tokyo donor conference held on Monday and Tuesday last week.

The Tokyo donor conference turned out to be a success as international donors have pledged a total of 4.5 billion US dollars in aid but the LTTE did not show any interest in it by rejecting the Tokyo declarations as they claimed that the government have not consulted with them.

Following the sea skirmish Defense Minister Tilak Marapana urged the public to be vigilant against any possible attack by theLTTE rebels in capital Colombo as the barriers set up before current peace process began last year have been removed, making the rebel attack easier.

The government and the LTTE rebels entered Norwegian-brokered ceasefire in February 2002 but clashes in the sea of north and east have not come to a complete halt.

Both sides involving the conflict have been blamed by the trucemonitors for the violation of ceasefire despite most of it have been held.

The LTTE rebels have repeatedly rejected government offer for their demand for an interim administration in defiance of appeal from international community.

They insist on the establishment of the interim administration in the north and east which they believe will authorize them for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the war-battered areas without any government interference.

The government, however, finds it difficult to meet the rebel demand as the country's constitution does not allow for such a structure.

They have blamed the government for the slow action over the resettlement of the internally displaced persons in the north and east.

The LTTE have even claimed that the previous six rounds of direct peace talks with the government is a waste of time as no mutual confidence between the two sides have been built.

Observers here noted that the rebels may be right on this regard as it will take time to heal the war wounds which have beenin place among the general public of the country for so many years.

The government headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe isof different view towards the peace process with President Chandrika Kumaratunga who leads the main opposition People's Alliance (PA).

The PA is currently trying to clinch a deal with leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front in a bid to topple Wickremesinghe's government.

The potential political instability in the government has addedto the doubt of the LTTE rebels for a speedy job by the government to resettle the internally displaced persons and the reconstruction of the war-affected areas.

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