Earlier the government was seriously considering a suspension of the ban before the talks began but now the situation has become worse confounded after the LTTE has made the permanent lifting of the ban a condition for talks. The government is said to be in constant touch with Attorney General K.C. Kamalasabeysan to look into the legal aspects with regard to the lifting of the ban.

The ban, which was imposed in 1998 by the PA regime, was reimposed in the latter part of last year under the Prevention of Terrorism Act No 48 of 1978 after the then opposition opposed the extension of the state of Emergency. However, there could be a legal problem with regard to the ban. Some legal experts question the invocation of the PTA to impose a ban on the LTTE or any organisation.

Though the PTA provides for making of regulations, it does not provide unequivocal power to ban an organisation, they say. This legal ambiguity is yet to be challenged in the apex court. Contrary to the PTA, the Emergency Regulations gave wide powers to the government to make regulations under the Public Security Act - including regulations to ban any political group.

In the circumstances one way out of the political impasse is for the LTTE or one of its agents to challenge the validity of the ban imposed under the PTA. Again, the Defence Minister could issue a gazette notification repealing the PTA regulation that imposed the ban. In any event, the government should move with great caution because the anti-peace lobbyists have intensified their campaign. Besides this campaign led by the JVP and pro-Sinhala groups, the government is also disturbed about mixed signals emanating from the PA quarters.

Though the President supports the peace efforts, some of her party members are hell bent on scuttling the UNF initiative. While the President was delivering the Madhav Rao Scindia memorial speech in India, upholding the virtues of pluralism and ethnic amity, her brother and PA parliamentarian Anura Bandaranaike, Dinesh Gunewardene, Mangala Samaraweera, Ferial Ashraff and other PA MPs were attending a Hyde Park rally which was described by some analysts as a 'racist' meeting.

There were attempts to prevent Mr. Bandaranaike from attending the meeting, but Dinesh Gunewardene persuaded him to join the meeting, saying that it was an opportunity to build up a mass movement against the government. Among those who tried to dissuade Mr. Bandaranaike was UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema. Mr. Bandaranaike who avoided many calls, however, answered Mr. Samarawickrema's call and explained why he had decided to attend the rally.

UNPers suspect the President of playing a double game. Before leaving for India, the President contacted Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando on the phone to discuss about public statements she was to make in India. Mr. Fernando told her that she should discuss the matter with the Prime Minister. The minister then telephoned Mr. Wickremesinghe to inform him of the President's call. The President's prudence is seen as a positive step towards re-conciliation between the two main parties.

Mr. Fernando then arranged for the Prime Minister to talk to the President on the progress the government had made in solving the ethnic question. Delivering the memorial lecture in New Delhi, the President said the failure of the country to build a plural state since independence had given rise to one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in recent times.

"In Sri Lanka we have faltered in the essential task of nation-building since independence. We have failed to address the issue of building a truly pluralist nation state," the President said in what appears to be a softening of stance with regard to the peace process.

The President can and should play a major role in eliminating hurdles faced by the UNF government but some elements in the UNF are still sceptical about the President's stand. As the substance of the Hyde Park meeting and the President's speech are seemingly in conflict, a section of the PA MPs believe that they should form a national government to resolve national questions, others are of the opinion that they should fight back aggressively to defeat the UNF government. This crack in the PA was also visible when it took up a JVP bid to bring in no-confidence motions against three government ministers who met LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The JVP is of the opinion that the ministers - Rauff Hakeem, Arumugam Thondaman and P. Chandrasekeran - have deliberately violated the country's law by holding talks with a banned organisation.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse foresaw the futility of moving a no-confidence against these minority party leaders who apparently went ahead with the meeting with the blessings of the Premier. Therefore, he believes that if at all there is a no-faith move, it should be aimed at the government of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. But the hardline elements within the PA are not happy with the opposition leader's stand. The matter is now billed to be taken up at the Parliamentary group meeting at the request of Mr. Bandaranaike. There is another reason for Mr. Rajapakse to oppose the no-faith moves. He apparently believes that if the PA backs the motions, it would send a wrong signal to the minorities and it would not augur well for an opposition party, which needs the support of minorities to win elections. The JVP now says it will go on its own and table the motions.

Some PA toprungers have also expressed reservations on the stand taken by Mr. Rajapakse. Chief Opposition Whip Mangala Samaraweera recently had a one-to-one meeting with Mr. Rajapakse in Parliament to discuss the PA strategy to counter the government. Mr. Samaraweera's position was that the PA would stand accused of doing nothing, if people, unhappy over the government's concessions to the LTTE and other moves, took to the streets.

Mr. Rajapakse and Mr. Samaraweera have now agreed to draw up a plan to start a mass campaign from the South, most probably against the lifting of the LTTE ban. However, the final decision on the issue would be taken in consultation with the President upon her return to the country.

Meanwhile, a high-powered SLFP committee has also discussed the issue at length and it is believed the President will study the conclusions it reached before announcing her stance on the ban and other issues related to the peace initiative.
According to insiders, the party is disappointed over the LTTE leader's failure to utter a word that would satisfy the majority psyche vis-à-vis the peace process.

"The LTTE should reciprocate the governments goodwill gesture in some form as a confidence-building measure in the South. Otherwise, it will be unfair by the Prime Minister and the President who are committed for a negotiated settlement of the issue," one moderate voice said.

Thus it is possible that the SLFP would adopt a stand that would be supportive of the peace process but would oppose the lifting of the ban until the LTTE gives an assurance that it had given up separatism. The SLFPers are also seriously reviewing Mr. Prabhakaran's peace conference. They have obtained a Taminet version of the transcript of the interview where Mr. Prabhakaran states categorically that if the basic demands are met and "if our people are satisfied, we will consider giving up the call for a separate state."

The fundamental demands put forward by the LTTE at this press conference are recognition of (a) a Tamil homeland (b) Tamil nationality and (c) Tamils' right to self-determination. In the same breath, the LTTE also says it has not given up Eelam.
Though, the government has made some progress in the peace front in the economic front it is still passing through a difficult period. Under cover of peace, the cost of living has begun to rise and people are talking about it once again.

Fuel prices went up recently, further burdening the masses. Prices of gas, electricity, telephone and other services, too, have gone up, making life difficult even for upper middle class people. The decision to levy a tax of 10 percent on bank deposits, yielding an interest of more than Rs. 72,000 a year has even affected the retired private sector workers, who are totally depending on the meagre income derived from their savings from the Employees Provident Fund and the Employees Trust Fund.

The Ministry of Finance is, however, considering some relief to these depositors
The murmurings have begun that the government is not sensitive to the problems of the common man and the question is being asked whether there is a difference between the former regime and the present one.

During the Avurudu holidays we saw some 14 ministers taking wing on various assignments. The impression that this en-masse migration creates is that they are enjoying the luxuries of their official positions. A party which relentlessly criticised the former regime for indulging in luxuries are thus seen as making a repeat performance. Ministers have to realise that honeymoon time is coming to an end. Self discipline, indeed self deprivation are thoughts which should occupy the minds of our Ministers now. There has been little glory in the first hundred days accept in the peace process. Let there be no Euphoria about this.

Back to Top

Back to Columns

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Webmaster