Sri Lanka - Articles

Venue: Rose Garden resort in Nakorn Pathom, Thailand.

Date: 31 October – 3 November 2002.

Negotiating Teams

• Government of Sri Lanka – Headed by Prof G. L. Peris, Minister for Constitutional Affairs and Peace. Other members were Rauf Hakeem, Milinda Moragoda, Cabinet Ministers, Bernard Gunatilleke, Peace Secretariat head, and Maj. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda.

• LTTE – Led by Anton Balasingam, LTTE ideologue. Other members were Adele Balasingham, V. Muralitharan alias “Colâ€Â� V. Karuna, Batticaloa-Ampara military wing leader, S. P. Thamilselvan, Political wing leader.

Facilitators

The Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, Special Envoy Eric Solheim, and Norwegian ambassador to Sri Lanka Jon Westborg.

Breakthrough

• The LTTE expressed their commitment to enter the democratic mainstream and their willingness to “accept and assimilateâ€Â� with other groups in the Northeast.

• Tigers admitted that there was child conscription in the past, but the child soldiers were now being handed over to their parents.

Outcome

• Three agreements were signed to set-up three sub-committees:

a) ‘Sub-Committee on Political Matters’ will address in depth “relevant subjects such as other peace processes, political solutions to ethnic conflicts, models and systems of government, issues of post-conflict transition, co-ordination of international assistance and reconciliation processes�. The Committee is proposed to comprise Anton Balasingam, Rauf Hakeem, and G. L. Peris.

b) ‘Sub-Committee on De-escalation and Normalisation’ to address security concerns of both the government and the rebels and other minority groups in the embattled areas. It will also examine ways and means to ensure resettlement, the return of private property and resumption of economic activities in the North. Will include Defence Secretary, Austin Fernando and V. Karuna, apart from high-level civilian and military personnel from both sides.

c) ‘Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and the East' will coordinate fundraising and aid spending and has authority to act on identifying humanitarian and rehabilitation needs and deciding on the allocation of financial resources. It will also assist the Norwegian government in preparing for a meeting of donors. The Committee is expected to comprise Bernard Goonatilleke and S. P. Thamilselvan apart from other experts. 

• A joint appeal for development assistance was submitted to the donor community. In this regard, two donor meetings will be arranged for attracting funds to rebuild the war-ravaged regions in Sri Lanka which would be around US$500 million. The first donor community meeting will take place in Oslo on November 25, 2002, and the second will be hosted by the Japanese government early next year. 

• It was agreed that Rauf Hakeem would liaise with Col. Karuna on issues relating to the security of the eastern region Muslims. The LTTE has undertaken to hand over land and property belonging to the Muslims that are now being cultivated or occupied by Tamils in the North-East province back to the Muslims in about two months' time.

• Both sides agreed to permit an independent human rights expert to play an active role in the peace process. The man given this assignment is Ian Martin, a former head of Amnesty International, who also served as head of the UN mission to East Timor. 

• Norway will be the venue for the next round of talks in December.

Reaction

People’s Alliance: “Satisfactory, but still caution is necessary�.

Sihala Urumaya: “Progress only on Camera�.

JVP: “Media Blitz�.

United States: “Commitment Praiseworthy�.

Britain: “Positive and constructive outcome�.

India: “Positive�.

United Nations: “Very encouraged�.

Previous Round

September 16-18, 2002 at Sattahip Naval Base, Thailand.