Sri Lanka has peace proposal for Tamils

Sri Lanka’s government is ready to present a peace plan to the Tamil Tiger rebels, and is “baffled” by their reluctance to return to the negotiating table, a senior minister said today.

“For the past six months, the government has done everything to get the Tamil Tigers to the negotiating table,” said Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

The Tigers proposed a sweeping plan for self-rule a year ago which would give them administrative and legal control over the Tamil-dominated north-east.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga initially rejected the proposal as a step toward a separate state, but softened her stance in July, offering to discuss it along with government plans.

“The counter proposals are ready, when the rebels are willing to receive them,” Samaraweera said. He refused to disclose details.

“We are very baffled the rebels still don’t want to come to the negotiating table,” Samaraweera added.

There was no immediate comment from top rebel leaders, who are travelling in Europe.

Government officials involved in the peace process say the Tigers want to resolve an unprecedented split in their ranks in March before restarting peace talks with the government. The split has sparked fighting which has killed scores.

The rebels, meanwhile, allege the government supports the breakaway guerrilla faction, and accuse officials of not being serious about holding peace talks.

The Tigers began fighting in 1983 to create a separate state for minority Tamils, accusing the majority Sinhalese of discrimination.

The war left 65,000 people dead before Norway brokered a cease-fire in February 2002.

Subsequent peace talks stalled in 2003 amid differences over rebel demands for wide autonomy.