Sri Lankan Peace Talks – III: An Agenda Chart
04 Oct, 2002 · 885
N Manoharan charts out various issues for consideration in the Sri Lankan peace talks
As the parties concerned agreed on a ‘step-by-step’ approach, an agenda for the on-going peace process in Sri Lanka is crucial. A final and lasting solution to the ethnic question demands careful consideration of all the issues involved. What are those issues? Who are the parties concerned? What is the status of consideration of these issues? The tabulation below provides some clues. It also provides a checklist for negotiators and the parties concerned.
|
Issues |
Ranking |
Parties concerned |
Status |
|
Development and economic revival
|
Non-contentious |
GOSL, LTTE,
International community. |
Discussed in the first round; both parties have shared interests on this issue. Common appeal made to donor community for aid; A-9 highway connecting Jaffna and Kandy opened.
|
|
Rehabilitation& Reconstruction
*IDPs/Refugees *De-mining *Settling former militants
|
Non-contentious |
GOSL, LTTE, Muslims, Plantation Tamils, International community. |
Partly addressed; progress on IDPs and de-mining; incorporating former non-LTTE militants within the state forces has already been addressed in the MoU signed between the GOSL and the LTTE in February 2002. |
|
Interim Government
|
Semi-contentious |
GOSL, LTTE, Muslims. |
Reserved for later rounds of talks; evolving an administrative mechanism for the ethnically mixed east will be extremely convoluted.
|
|
Human Rights |
Semi-contentious but all-important |
GOSL, LTTE, Muslims, Plantations Tamils, Human rights bodies. |
Given consideration in the first round; decided to swap POWs, but taxation and child recruitment by the Tigers in ‘uncleared areas’ continue; very detailed discussions required in future rounds
|
|
Nationality Issue |
Contentious |
GOSL, LTTE. |
Not taken up in the first round, the LTTE spelt out its stand, which was not contested by the GOSL. To be discussed in detail in later discussions
|
|
Homeland |
Highly contentious |
GOSL, LTTE, Muslims. |
The LTTE reiterated its stand on the homeland boundaries; Muslims continue to have reservations.
|
|
Character of the state |
Highly contentious |
GOSL, LTTE, Muslims.
|
Figured in the first round with LTTE announcing its interest in “autonomy and self-rule” rather than separatism. GOSL is expected to face three-pronged pressureâ€â€
|
