Palacingham Pre-Conditions for Talks
by Chandi Sinnathurai, March 29, 2006
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The argument is somewhat like the egg-and-chicken. The abduction and killing and raping of each Tamil person matters the most – because they are precious human beings! On the one hand, while we are struggling to liberate the land and are no doubt making immense sacrifice for the cause; and on the other hand we cannot sit down to talk about fixing the CFA while we know no information on these non-combatant humanitarian workers.
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 The reports in the media suggest that Palcingham [the Tamil Tigers' chief negotiator] has laid down clear conditions for the second-round of the Geneva talks. He is reported to have conveyed through the Norwegian interlocutor Solheim the following:
1) Both the GoSL and Norway must give the LTTE team assurance of their safety as they journey via Colombo for the Talks.
2) The Para-military forces must be disarmed as a prior condition for talks.
The first condition reveals a willingness on the part of the LTTE to sit and talk specifically on the matter of the often-breached CFA. However, it is common knowledge that the TRO workers were abducted with the connivance of the state forces post-Pararasacingham murder by these quisling forces in the east. One would have warmly welcomed had Palacingham laid the release (that is, if they are still alive) of the abducted humanitarian workers as a pre-eminent condition for talks. Some might argue that, once the defunct CFA is fixed, all other matters would fall into place. Evidence of recent history would suggest the contrary nonetheless. Repetition of history is indeed a clap-trap.
The argument is somewhat like the egg-and-chicken. The abduction and killing and raping of each Tamil person matters the most – because they are precious human beings! On the one hand, while we are struggling to liberate the land and are no doubt making immense sacrifice for the cause; and on the other hand we cannot sit down to talk about fixing the CFA while we know no information on these non-combatant humanitarian workers.
One would ask, in an such inhumane context, how can the Tamil leaders negotiate with the State terrorists?!
The people (Makkal) and the land (Munn) are inextricably entwined to the liberation struggle. What matters most is the egg-and-chicken question?
Secondly the disarming of Para-military groups is a slippery question. In the NorthEast the tyranny of the State forces coupled with the Paramilitary groups has increased. There is no signal from the State that they would disarm these groups. In fact, it would be a looser for the State if they were to disarm these groups. Such initiative will only weaken their strategy to divide and rule by fear and intimidation. Even if we say, for argument's sake, that the GoSL were to ‘disarm’ these groups before the April Talks, what is the guarantee that it has genuinely happened – and who will monitor the returning of weapons? Can this happen within weeks? The SLMM [Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission], unfortunately, has compromised its standing and is yet to regain its credibility.
Only a fluke can meet the second-condition.
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