Lanka should begin de-escalation to end ethnic war — LTTE ideologue

These repressive policies manifest in the form of bans, embargoes and restrictions that are seriously undermining the socio-economic and cultural life of Tamil people.

If the government agrees in principle to our proposal and begins de-escalation process by removing the repressive conditions, that would be sufficient basis for peace talks,” he said in an interview to the Tamil Guardian newspaper.

Balasingham, who is recuperating after his kidney transplant operation carried out by Norwegian specialists in Oslo three weeks ago, told the newspaper that the opposition generated by the Buddhist clergy and other hard-line Sinhala organisations against the peace talks would definitely have a negative effect.” It may even derail the peace process,” he warned.

“The tragic paradox of this situation is that these Buddhist clergy in contradiction to the pacifist teachings of the All Compassionate One’ wants war, violence and bloodbath to crush what they assume as Tamil racist terrorism,” he said.

It was Balasingham’s first interview since leaving Vanni (Sri Lanka) last year.

Kumaratunga’s government is actively involved in peace talks with the LTTE, Norway being the facilitator.’

On Kumaratunga’s recent statement that a progressive de-escalation is possible only if talks succeeded and troops withdrawal could only take place after a permanent political solution is reached, the LTTE ideologue said, “We discussed the matter with the Norweigians and I do not know how far the issue has been explained to the Sri Lankan government.”

At the same time he made it clear that the LTTE don’t want to engage in a dialogue of peace under conditions of war.” It is absurd to continue war and continue to kill each other and talk peace. This is why we want the conditions of war removed before the commencement of peace talks.”

When his attention was drawn to the optimism expressed by the President about resolving the Tamil question in the next six months, Balasingham said “The LTTE will not accept any time frame since such stipulation of time scale is itself is a condition. If Chandrika is determined to include the LTTE within the her time chest, she will be disappointed because we will not be able to fit into her scheme of things.”