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Sri Lankan government, Tamil rebels clear decks to address critical issue of power sharing
Associated Press,
Sun February 9, 2003 11:35 EST .
SHIMALI SENANAYAKE - Associated Press Writer - BERLIN (AP) Sri Lanka - 's government and Tamil Tiger rebels made their first commitment to tackle human rights during their latest round of peace talks, setting the stage for crucial negotiations on power sharing when they meet again next month. The issue of power sharing is contentious since any final agreement will have to be approved by Sri Lanka - 's President Chandrika Kumaratunga. She says she supports the peace process, but has often berated the Sri Lankan government for making concessions to the rebels, who blinded her in one eye with a suicide attack. Kumaratunga had ordered the navy commander to take stringent steps over a reported attempt by the Tigers to smuggle arms into the country on Friday an incident that led three rebels to blow up their boat and themselves, just hours before the Berlin talks started. The parties' fresh commitments came ahead of a major donor conference to be held in June in Tokyo, where millions of dollars are expected to be pledged to rebuild the country. Both sides are acutely aware that the talks are their best chance yet to end the conflict and that a reversal toward war would turn away international aid. A meeting held in Norway in November resulted in nearly US$90 million being pledged by foreign governments for development assistance, with more promised as the parties proceed with peace talks. An agreement with the World Bank will be finalized next week to enable international funds to flow through for rehabilitation and development activities ``Sri Lanka - 's peace process is a refreshing example to the world and we appeal with one voice for aid to rebuild the country,'' Peiris said. The parties addressed human rights for the first time in the latest round, while the rebels vowed to permanently stop recruiting children and to work with UNICEF for their rehabilitation. ``We have made a firm commitment to stop, because child recruitment has a far-reaching negative impact on our credibility,'' Balasingham said about the practice the group has been accused of both locally and internationally. While Peiris and two other government negotiators left Berlin for Colombo Saturday, members of the rebel delegation remained to address the Tamil diaspora in Germany. As many as 60,000 Sri Lankans live in Germany, most of them Tamils who fled Sri Lanka - after the fighting broke out in 1983. Most provide the rebels with financial assistance. (dss-tc)
Published: Sun Feb 9 16:16:38 EST 2003
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