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Ceasefire agreement:
Looking back The most significant
achievement has been the reversal of the death toll from thousands
to single figures during the past one year, but the unanswered question
has been whether the LTTE has been making use of the lull in fighting
to strengthen itself. The MoU came
into effect from February 23 midnight following Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe signing the MoU at the Vauvuniya District Secretary's
office while LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran had signed the document
earlier and sent it to the Norwegian government in Oslo, Norway.
Two days into
the ceasefire, there was a violation on the part of the LTTE when
seven LTTE cadres were arrested at the Mannar Murukan police checkpoint
while travelling in a van carrying arms. However this was given
little thought to. The first challenge
for both parties was the 100 day into the implementation as both
sides were expected to implement a series of measures. Most of it
was left to the government. Some of the key issues were that unarmed government forces be permitted unlimited passage between Jaffna and Vavuniya using the Jaffna Kandy road (A9). The modalities were to be worked out by the Parties with the assistance of the SLMM. Fifty unarmed
LTTE members were to be allowed to enter the North and East to carry
out political work as of 30 days, 100 unarmed LTTE cadres were to
be allowed to enter the North and East as of 60 days and all unarmed
LTTE members were to be permitted freedom of movement as of 90 days.
With the completion of one year now, LTTE cadres have free access to the cleared areas and have not spared some of the leading schools from their campaigns. One of the clauses
in the agreement in keeping with international law prohibits hostile
acts against civilians, such as torture, intimidation, abduction,
extortion and harassment. But even before
the 100 days approached, there were reports of extortion and harassment
in the North and East. Repeated appeals by the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission to the LTTE fell on deaf ears. The situation has changed
very little. Recently the LTTE released 350 child soldiers from
their custody, but more than 400 more children had allegedly been
taken away by the LTTE during that same period from the east. The
first round of peace talks took place six months into the agreement
in Thailand. The three day conference touched on the ground situation
and setting the stage for the second round of talks. Meanwhile the
Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Major General Trond Furuhovde
commenting on the progress made by both parties on the ceasefire
agreement says that they have been loyal to the agreement. "The mechanism
and the follow up in the implementation of the cease fire agreement
is perhaps the most difficult part because the parties are trying
to find a common solution. In that sense it is still the basis for
the peace talks" While the government
has called on the people to light peace lamps to mark the first
anniversary of the MOU, the LTTE has put aside all means of celebration
and organised a series of hartals in the North and East. Opposition
to the cease fire agreement has also come from political parties
in the South as well. The JVP which held a mass protest on Thursday
in Colombo, has called on the people to unite to defeat the government.
The Sihala Urumaya has called on the people to light lamps, not as a means to celebrate the MOU but as a means to seek divine intervention to help the people of Sri Lanka.
February 23
The MoU comes into effect from midnight . February 25
Seven LTTE cadres are arrested at the Mannar Murukan police checkpoint.
They were traveling in a van and carrying arms. They were later
released. April 8 Muslims
in Gallalle in the North central province hold a protest against
the LTTE demanding ransom. April 24 EPDP
complaints to Monitoring Mission that 14 members were kidnapped
by the LTTE. April 24 Sri
Lanka Navy detects three LTTE boats with ammunition. The Sri Lanka
Navy intercepted two LTTE boats in the sea off Trincomalee. The
Navy which dispatched Fast Attack Craft finally was able to halt
the LTTE boats about 8 nautical miles south of Trincomalee. Once
the LTTE boats were intercepted the Government lodged a formal complaint
to the SLMM. The Government informed the SLMM that the LTTE violated
the terms of the ceasefire violation. The Defence Ministry also
demanded that the SLMM give a ruling on the incident. May 1 Monitoring
Mission informs the LTTE that it has violated the MoU for the third
time. The incident being turning back passengers who had wanted
to enter the uncleared areas, Anton Balasingham changing his route,
Navy detecting three boats. June 4 Tension
in the Delft island erupts after LTTE demands that they be given
permission to carry out political activities in the island. SLMM
calls a meeting to discuss the issue. June 20 Dispute
between Navy and LTTE after Navy personnel attack LTTE cadres in
Kayts. Navy Commander calls for probe. June 21 LTTE
office in Muttur comes under attack .LTTE lodge complaint with the
SLMM. July 15 LTTE
takes two SLMM officers hostage when the officers go to inspect
an LTTE trawler in the Iranathiuv island. July 25 An
army soldier enters Muhamalai LTTE controlled area starts firing
at the cadres. LTTE retaliate killing the soldier. LTTE complains
to SLMM. July 25 LTTE
opens fire on a fleet of Navy Dvora craft. September 19
LTTE arrest a bus driver from Kalutara for running over an eight
year old child in Jaffna. September 25
LTTE arrest seven soldiers at Vilgamvehera for entering LTTE controlled
area carrying arms. Families of the soldiers launch a massive protest
at the Trincomalee town on October 3 calling for their release.
The soldiers are released on October 9. October 9 Two
LTTE carders are assaulted by the Army. In retaliation the LTTE
with villagers storm the STF camp in Akaraipattu. November 2
Navy detects a LTTE boat with six cadres. On inspection several
weapons including claymore bombs are found. The cadres are arrested.
November 21
LTTE attack EPDP office in Chavakachcheri. November 25
Residents in the Delft island protest over LTTE stopping boat service
from the mainland to the island. This action is a result of the
LTTE calling the total withdrawal of EPDP from Delft. December 24
LTTE takes into custody a soldier in Killinochi for entering LTTE
control area carrying a T -56. January 3 LTTE
abducts an intelligence officer Pulendra Rasa from Batticaloa while
on leave. January 7 LTTE
forcibly stop a prisons bus carrying LTTE prisoners on the A 9 road
from Jaffna to Anuradhapura. February 4
Fifty LTTE cadres with arms and ammunition were turned away by the
Army at Valaven Miankulama (Government controlled area). February 7
Navy detects a LTTE boat close to the Delft island. Three cadres
on board refuse entry to the navy , when SLMM and Navy try to inspect
three cardres explode themselves. SLMM on inspection recover ammunition.
February 12 A dispute between the Army and the LTTE arise when LTTE female cadres refuse to remove their military waist bands when entering Government controlled area. SLMM states it is a violation of the MOU and gives an alternative ruling until February 24 There are ups
and downs says SLMM Chief n Both parties
have done a tremendous job. They have been loyal to the agreement.
They have signed an agreement where there were certain measures
that were to be taken according to a time table, so the initial
stages were vital. In that sense
it is the basis for the peace talks. Through the cease fire agreement
they are building up confidence so that they could go into more
complex issues. They have shown first of all loyalty to each other
in a sense they have both done whatever they could to meet the demands
and requirements from the cease fire agreement. n In the recent
past both parties have criticized the SLMM. n We have been
told we are not impartial. That might be so. in some instances,
but overall we have been impartial as people would see in a sequence
of events. n You say that
both parties have been loyal to the agreement but during the last
few months, there have been serious violations by the LTTE. Does
this mean they are moving away from the agreement? n I don't think
so. I have asked the parties to tell me what their policies and
goals are. But when I go out I look at what is happening on the
ground it does not fit in. On the one hand they may be trying to
put political pressure on each other and on the other hand there
may be a gap between the political leadership and the grass roots.
My role as a monitor is to point out to the two parties that this
could create difficulties. n They must
abide by the agreement. It it is important for the LTTE to show
the international community that it is sincere. I have no doubt
that the political leadership does not want to recruit children
but it is happening at grassroot level. This is a sorry state, the
only thing I could do is keep telling the LTTE leadership over and
again that they have to do something about it. This involves their
very credibility in the eyes of the international community. There
is something going on which I find difficult to understand. n How do you
think these serious violations including the killing of a soldier
would affect the peace process ? n Some of the
violations including the killing are matters for the police and
the judiciary. As for others we respond according to the mechanisms
available. We have observed that there is a tendency to react violently
and we have tried to curb that. I have also stressed to the government
side that it needs to have a modernized police force. They have
to act fast because as the process goes on the police would have
to play a bigger role in maintaining law and order. The problem
is that for the past 20 years law and order had been handled by
the fighting forces. The police have been living in the shadow of
these forces. The time has come for a change. * Do you feel
that the LTTE will stop violations with a modern police force in
action ? * Does this
mean the LTTE as well ? * I would say
the Tamils. There must be equality in the police. * As for the
warnings given by the SLMM to the LTTE, are you satisfied with the
response? * In general
I would say yes.Whenever I feel they are not abiding I would say
so. * SLMM has felt helpless ? * Yes. Sometimes I feel that we should have had official authority, to take some action. I also know that our mission is limited to the ceasefire and we cannot takover the government's responsibility even though it is tempting. We cannot do that as we would be interfering in internal affairs. When I see some actions of individuals, which are clearly wrong I would like to say don't do it but I cannot do so . I try to explain this to some people who ask us why we don't take any actions. Sometimes I have to tell my monitors to keep in mind that we are here to give advice and not to do anything. I tell them we cannot interfere in government or LTTE And that we are only interfering in Government and LTTE responsibilities. * What are the
main difficulties you have faced? * The most
difficult part is seeing injustice take place. That is very heavy.
The monitors are tired. It is so exhausting. They meet so many people
and face many situations which they feel are bloody unfair. They
don't have the authority to do anything . That is very frustrating.
for them * Is the SLMM
hoping to change the monitoring strategy ? * Not right
now. What we are doing is analyzing what has been achieved. We are
looking at how to stabilize the situation. I cannot give satisfactory
answer to the questions as to why violations are continuing, increasing
or getting worse? We are however reviewing the situation. Could
it be technical or is it some internal opposition? We are not surprised
that such situations arose but we don't think they would jeapordize
the peace process? * Has the Cease
fire agreements being implemented completely ? * Not completely. That is because it is closely linked to political developments. *There are inclinations
fears that the LTTE will go back on the peace process and adopt
a military strategy? * The LTTE
appears to be using this as a power argument. It may be important
for the LTTE but it is creating uncertainty. *What about
the Delft incident where arms and ammunition were found on an LTTE
boat? * I cannot
answer that question. It is a question for the intelligence . I
only act on information which is given by both parties. I hear what
you say but I cannot say anything. |
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