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“Cease Fire and Normalcy are equally important as Post-Tsunami Joint Mechanism”

“Maintaining the integrity of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), working hard to deliver the basic peace dividend, normalcy, are equally important as structuring a Joint Mechanism to effectively address the humanitarian crisis in the post-Tsunami scenario” said Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Head of Political Affairs Division IV, Human Security, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, addressing the LTTE Political Team led by Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan today 22 March 2005 at the Foreign Ministry complex.

Expressing satisfaction over the flexibility exercised by the LTTE in formulating a working structure for a joint mechanism with the Government, the Ambassador said that the Swiss Government is looking forward the forging of an understanding between the parties in this humanitarian crisis management which will help build mutual confidence, an essential element in taking forward the stalled peace process.

Asked to present an overview of the current status of the peace process in the context of a post-Tsunami scenario and the proposed joint mechanism to address resettlement, reconstruction and development, Mr.Tamilselvan said that the LTTE acted with political wisdom and circumspection in suggesting that the facilitator to the peace process, Norway, undertake the responsibility to draft the text of the proposal since exchange of proposals between the Government and the LTTE was time consuming and the urgency of the humanitarian problems needed action without delay. “Dictated by the needs of the displaced population and the urgency to restore normalcy, we acted with responsibility and accepted the Norwegian proposals in totality, though there are inadequacies” said Mr.Tamilselvan.

Responding to a question from Mr.Michael Morf, Deputy Head of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office for Migration as to the contribution of LTTE to implement the CFA, Mr.Tamilselvan said that the LTTE, respecting the humanitarian element in the agreement, has removed all its military installations in the civilian habitats and has ensured that the law and order situation in areas not under military occupation and administered by LTTE , is maintained perfectly whereas these have become the most contentious issues in areas occupied by the military. “ Had the government, as one party to the CFA, implemented the clauses relating to resettlement of the war-displaced from the Jaffna peninsula without denying access to the peasantry under the cover of High Security Zones (HSZ), hundereds of people who were compelled to take shelter in the coastline areas like Mullaittivu and were swept away by the tidal surge could have been saved from death” lamented Mr.Tamilselvan.

Commenting on the issue of political killings, Mr.Tamilselvan said that it is again a matter for regret that the government has not seriously viewed clause 1.8 of the CFA that prohibits the activities of armed groups in areas under military control and this has given room for wanton killing of several LTTE political cadres while being engaged in political and post-tsunami work in areas fully under military control.

Responding to Ambassador Thomas Greminger’s comments on the window of opportunity Tsunami provided for the parties to the conflict and the CFA in taking up the thread of hope within adversity to weave into the splintered political fabric, Mr.Tamilselvan said that this was the core message that the LTTE sent in inviting the government to work on a joint mechanism to address humanitarian delivery and reconstruction in the post-tsunami scenario, hoping that this would help to build confidence and therefore beneficial to the peace process at large.

Also participating in the discussion from the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) was Mr.Ivan Hauri, Programme Officer, Division Asia and Americas, Department of Humanitarian Aid and SHA, Mr.Boris Richard, Political Division, MFA, Ms.Sidoria Gabriel, Political Division for Human Security and Peace Policy, MFA.

22 March 2005

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