Sri Lanka and Tamil Tigers to resume peace talks

Sri Lankan and Tamil Tiger rebel negotiators will begin a third round of peace talks today amid fears that a brewing political crisis at home may affect the island’s best chance for peace in nearly two decades.

The government will be represented by a smaller, three member team after a key government negotiator left Oslo yesterday, hours after his arrival. Rauf Hakeem flew home to try to defuse an attempt to overthrow his leadership of the island’s main Muslim party.

The three hour session, scheduled for today at 1pm (2pm Irish time) at Oslo’s most expensive hotel, is expected to focus on consolidating a fragile ceasefire between the parties that has so far managed to stop the fighting that has claimed nearly 65,000 lives since 1983.

“We have now reached an important milestone in the peace process and it is our aim to carry the it further,” said the government’s chief negotiator, Gamini Peiris.

Hakeem said he feared his absence would affect the stake of the country’s Muslims at the talks, but said an observer would be present.

Hakeem’s 12 member partnership with Sri Lankan Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s coalition government is crucial since the governing party has only a two-seat majority in Parliament.

Any splits within the party could upset the balance of power and the peace process.

“We need to take stock of the security situation and what needs to be done to stabilise the ceasefire,” Peiris said of today’s talks.

A report presented by the committee on de-escalation and normalisation will be presented during the discussions.

An 18 member joint committee appointed after the second round of talks in Thailand last month held a series of meetings in Sri Lanka’s northern and eastern parts.

Matters concerning the rebels’ expansion of its civil administration in areas under its control and the movement of government troops from “high security zone,” in the area will also figure in the discussions.

At least two police stations and a law court have been established since the February 22 truce, which was brokered by Norway.

Sri Lanka’s president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, who also heads the main opposition party, has accused the rebels of using the truce to expand its moves for a separate state.

However, the Tigers have said they are willing to abandon the demand and work with the government for a political solution to the conflict, including autonomy. The Tigers are banned as a terrorist organisation in India, the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia.