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1. Progress of peace process 2. Forced recruitment of child soldiers by LTTE 3. De-proscription of LTTE 4. LTTE is keen to resume ties with India 5. Recent visits to Northern Sri Lanka 6. Economy related news 7. Other news 8. Recent reports / meetings

A news bulletin on Sri Lanka produced by Australian and New Zealand activists working for peace in Sri Lanka. contact: Australia - Willie willie@apex.net.au New Zealand - Malathy malathy@ihug.co.nz

1. Progress of peace process ==========

A Norwegian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen is due in Sri Lanka today (February 7th) for talks with Sri Lankan leaders to try to arrange a permanent truce with the LTTE.

The Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister met with LTTE political adviser, Anton Balasingham in London, on January 28. TamilNet reported that after the meeting, Balasingham expressed optimism that the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE could sign a permanent cease- fire agreement before February 24th.

Following the London meeting, the Norwegian Ambassador for Sri Lanka briefed Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo on various issues relating to the peace process. The Daily Mirror paper of February 4th quoted the Indian High Commissioner as saying India supports a political dialogue and the current peace process.

The US acting Secretary of State Richard Armitage, at a meeting with the Sri Lankan Economic Reform Minister Milinda Moragoda, in Washington, said that the USA fully supports the peace efforts backed by Norway. On the question of possible de-proscription of the LTTE, Armitage said that US policy would be unaffected should the government of Sri Lanka decide to remove its ban on the organisation.

A media release by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed Australia's firm support for the Norwegian government's effort to facilitate a lasting peace and durable settlement (http://203.6.171.3/media/releases/foreign/2002/fa012_02.html ).

The Vavuniya-Trincomalee road which remained closed for the last two decades was declared open last Tuesday. Sri Lankan Defence sources recently reported that the Kandy-Jaffna (A9) highway would be reopened before February 15 and the checkpoint's necessary for the re- opening of the highway are already under construction. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said yesterday that the security forces and the LTTE have begun de-mining in the island's north to clear a safe passage through the front lines.

2. Forced recruitment of child soldiers by LTTE ==========

There were several media reports on forced recruitment of child soldiers by LTTE during the fortnight. The reports were based on the latest UTHR bulletin and other unnamed sources. However, it is noteworthy that in October 2001, Bishop Swampillai of Batticaloa region was named by BBC as saying that people have brought such complaints to him at that time.

LTTE leader Karikalan said that recruitment is continuing on both sides. He added that neither the ICRC nor the Human Rights Commissions have recently received complaints of forced child conscription. Several TamilNet reports quoted LTTE sources as saying that Sri Lankan forces, the paramilitary groups, and President Kumartunge herself are attempting to scuttle the peace process using such allegations.

3. De-proscription of LTTE ==========

The Sunday Times newspaper of January 27 reported that the government is giving serious consideration to suspend the ban on the LTTE during the period peace talks. The Prime Minister said in parliament last week that he was giving "deep thought" to the question of de- proscribing the LTTE.

The LTTE has made it clear that they would not enter Norwegian-backed peace talks unless the government lifted the ban imposed on them. Opponents of peace talks argue that de-proscription of the LTTE in Sri Lanka would put pressure on US, Britain, Canada and Australia to revoke bans against the LTTE in these countries. However, USA, UK, and India have indicated that a decision by Sri Lanka by lift the ban on the LTTE, to get the talks off the ground, would not affect the proscription of the LTTE in these countries.

A number of Sinhala nationalist organisations have urged the government to reject de-proscription of the LTTE, unless the LTTE has clearly demonstrated that it has renounced terrorism and the attempt to create a separate state by force of arms. The JVP, a radical parliamentary party, has planned to hold a series of protest rallies in major cities of the country against the possible lifting of the ban. The Tamil National Alliance is planning to conduct protest campaigns and agitation in the north-east provinces, demanding the government to lift the proscription on LTTE.

In a recent interview with the BBC Sandeshaya program, Foreign Minister Tyrone Fernando said the government will consider lifting the ban on the LTTE only if progress is made in peace talks.

4. LTTE is keen to resume ties with India ==========

Talking to a correspondent of the pro-LTTE publication Sudar Oli, Pottu Amman, a senior LTTE leader, said that the Indian intelligence agents have conveyed to him New Delhi's willingness to build bridges with the LTTE. He stated that while this was welcome, he wished that India would establish contacts with the LTTE's political wing and convey such ideas directly to them rather than go through the intelligence wing.

In early January, the LTTE made two requests to India. It wanted India to allow Anton Balasingham and his wife Adele Anne to relocate temporarily to Tamilnadu Capital, Chennai, and also to hold the Norway facilitated talks in a South Indian city. The LTTE formally conveyed the requests to the Indian government through Norway.

So far, the Sri Lankan government has neither approved nor rejected the choice of a South Indian city as venue for talks. However, the TNL TV Channel reported yesterday that the government is considering the Maldives Islands as the venue for peace talks.

The Sunday Leader of February 3rd speculates that India may well be making subtle moves to host the proposed LTTE-Sri Lankan government peace talks. It reported an emissary of the Indian Central government recently met with two veteran politicians in Tamilnadu, Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi in this regard. (http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20020203/issues.htm)

5. Recent visits to Northern Sri Lanka ==========

On January 27, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Arumugam Thondaman met with the LTTE political leader for Trincomalee, Ayinkaran, during his three day visit to the area. The Minister said the meeting with the LTTE leader was accidental. He refused to divulge the contents of his discussions, saying that he would only talk about it after he briefed the Prime Minister.

On January 30, Vanni Region Reconstruction Minister, Noordeen Masoor, had discussions with Poovannan, a LTTE leader in charge of Mannar area, about the plight of Muslims displaced from their homes in Northern Sri Lanka. Poovannan has told the Minister that Muslims, who were driven out of the north in 1990, are free to return to their hometowns and to resume farming and other vocations.

The US Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Ashley Wills visited Vavuniya last week and held talks with the commanders of the security forces and leaders of the Tamil community. The EelamNation web-site reported that the Ambassador told the leader of People Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Sidharthan Dharmalingham, that the US favours if the Sri Lankan Government changes the unitary system of Government

6. Economy related news ==========

Sri Lanka has retained its position as the world's largest exporter of tea by selling a record 294 million kilograms last year, compared with the 287.9 million kilos of tea sold in 2000. Sri Lanka's main competitor Kenya exported about 217 million kilos last year. Tea trade officials said that despite Sri Lanka's higher tea exports last year and a 13.8 percent increase in revenues, the foreign exchange earned from tea exports last year fell marginally. This was mainly due to the 16.5 percent depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar last year.

The government has decided to obtain an 86 million US dollar assistance from the Asian Development Bank for use in the development of small and medium scale industries. Minister G. L. Peiris said this grant would be utilised to develop related services, meet cost for infrastructure development and provide loans through participatory organisations.

Holcim International, the second largest cement company in the world, has invested US$ 3.5 million to upgrade the local cement plant in Puttlam. Puttlam cement company Ltd.

7. Other news ==========

The People's Alliance elected Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Addressing the parliamentary group of the opposition, after being elected, he said he would support the government's peace process.

More than 1500 fishermen held a protest on 4th of February in front of the Jaffna Secretariat, urging the government to lift the restrictions and ban on fishing in the Northern peninsula. The demonstration prevented the customary ceremony at the Secretariat to mark the 54th anniversary of the island's Independence.

Chief of the Presidential Security Division (PSD) Nihal Karunaratne, who was wanted by courts for having threatened a senior police officer, surrendered on February 3rd. He was released on personal bail by the Magistrate C.V. Rajapakshe. The offence was alleged to occurred in the run up to the December 5th parliamentary elections.

Minister for Social Welfare Ravindra Samaraweera stated that, the Committee appointed to find out about the children orphaned in the war period of 1991 found out that there were 487,000 orphaned children in the north-east, but in the last 11 years since then, no fresh investigation in this regard, had been made.

Tamil political prisoners held in detention centres across Sri Lanka began a protest fast on February 1st, demanding that they be acquitted or be released as they are being held for extended periods without laying any charges against them. Human rights lawyers estimate that more than 1800 Tamils arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are being held in the detention centres and prisons in various parts of the island.

Gajen Ponnambalam, a Tamil National Alliance member of parliament recently visited Australia and New Zealand and had discussions with the government and NGO sectors. At a meeting organised by the Australian Council for Overseas Aid in Canberra, he emphasised the positive environment for a brokered peace with Norway's assistance. Ponnambalam pointed out that the TNA wants contact with the LTTE to discuss matters but cannot do this while the ban remains in place. On accusations of forced child recruitment by the LTTE, he commented that there is a need to make a distinction between propaganda and facts. On LTTE's intolerance of dissent he said that the LTTE should have no problem with dissent if ethnicity is not being used to mislead. On Muslim representation at the talks he said that the settlement is primarily on the Tamil national question but he has no problem with Muslim representation. However, other parties must not use Muslim issues to prevent a solution.

8. Articles / reports ==========

Amnesty International report of January 28, said allegations of rape in custody by army, police and navy officials increased markedly in Sri Lanka last year (http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/recent/asa370012002?opendocument )

ENDS

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