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Is it feasible to talk peace after taking away normalcy?

There are plans underway to hold talks in Oslo about threats to the ceasefire agreement and its full implementation. It is not a secret that already there is forces working stop these efforts.

President’s desire to hold talks while she gradually takes away all semblance normalcy in Tamil people’s life does appear meaningless. Especially to have reintroduced the Emergency Regulation and thus causing fear among the people and then wishing to hold talks does not appear to be a genuine effort. That there are other political motives for her desire to hold talks is well known to the Tamils and the international community. It should not be forgotten that historically Sri Lankan governments have planned to tighten their oppressive ways on the Tamils while also holding talks.

That the President is also following the same tactics is clearly demonstrated by the events that are occurring after the declaration of the emergency regulation.

The present situation does not appear to provide the environment for healthy talks resulting in constructive solutions.

Navy has arrested 15 women without any reason in Mannar. This number includes 13 trainees who were following a vocational training course to manufacture Palmayrah fibre products. These women come from very poor background. The training course they were following is funded by UNDP and is run by Centre for Women’s Development and Rehabilitation (CWDR). CWDR has been operating in Sri Lanka for 12 years and it is a registered NGO in Sri Lanka.

The Navy has said that they were arrested on suspicion of being LTTE members. That these arrests must have been made with the excessive powers given to security forces under ER is a question that will arise on everybody’s mind. In the search and round up operations in Colombo four people including two women have been arrested.

No one is saying that the security forces should not do their duty by doing their searching and arresting. However, to detain people just under suspicion for a long time without an inquiry and subject them to mental torture is a violation of their rights.

It is well known that many innocent people are languishing in the prisons and detention camps after being arrested in the past under ER and PTA without any inquiry or release.

The Norwegian facilitators and the international community that is keen on peace have a duty to explain how in this context where normalcy has been denied for the people by a government with Sinhala hegemonic attitude can talks be conducted and mutual trust built.

No one can say what type of guarantees the talks in Oslo will prove while the black laws deal out threats and dangers to the people. People expect solutions and not promises. It is important that the peace facilitators understand this.

25 August 2005

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