My Proposal for Normalcy

by Dr K Chandradeva

June 28, 2006

For the attention of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)  via

Rt Hon Hanssen-Bauer
Special Envoy to The Peace Process in Sri Lanka
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of External Affairs

Dear Sir

‘Putting Away Weapons in the Armoury under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body’ (PAWAPIAMB)

I am a Sri Lankan Tamil residing in the UK since 1985. I am worried about the current violence that rages on in the north-east of Sri Lanka and am deeply disturbed by the recent brutal murder of children in this conflict. Respectable international bodies such as Amnesty International have blamed the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF) for these heinous crimes on children, but the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has not taken any meaningful steps to bring the culprits to justice. Although the current peace process appears to be on the verge of collapsing, I beg the Royal Norwegian government not to abandon their mediatory role. The Norwegians’ dedicated mediatory role has saved many thousands of lives so far.

I wish to make the following proposal and I would be most grateful if you could bring this to the attention of the LTTE. Please note that I am not in a position to forward this document directly to the LTTE as this organization has been banned in the United Kingdom. The components of this proposal are as follows:

• The LTTE puts away the weapons in their armouries
• The weapons of the LTTE come under the purview of an international arms monitoring body
• The SLAF becomes confined to the barracks in the north-east
• A peace keeping mechanism or force is deployed in the north-east
• The arms are taken out of the equation in this ethnic conflict, therefore peace talks can resume between the LTTE and the GOSL in an environment of normalcy in the north-east.

Sir, I wish to bring to your kind attention that the Irish Republican Army took a groundbreaking step in 2001 by announcing ‘putting weapons beyond use’. This brave and bold step by the IRA paved the way for a settlement in Northern Ireland after 50 years of fighting. I very much hope to see that the above proposal will bring about a similar outcome in Sri Lanka.

Yours truly,

Dr K Chandradeva

cc: Rt Hon Tony Blair, The Prime Minister, United Kingdom

**************************************************************

A proposal for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to bring some normalcy in the north-east of Sri Lanka:

 ‘Putting Away Weapons in the Armoury under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body’ (PAWAPIAMB)

[By Dr K Chandradeva MBBS(Cey), MRCS(Eng) & LRCP(Lon), DA(UK), FRCA(UK)

Consultant Anaesthetist, United Kingdom]

Background

The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka between Sinhalese and Tamils is one of the longest running and the bloodiest civil wars in modern times. Approximately 70,000 people have been killed, tens of thousands of people have been disabled, and the war still rages on. The current cease-fire agreement and the peace process mediated by the Royal Norwegian Government, despite her dedicated and strenuous efforts, are on the verge of collapsing. In order to overcome this political deadlock, the Co-chairs (the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway) are urging both the GOSL and LTTE to take a meaningful political step to contain the violence and restore the peace process. Therefore, a new concept or a new mechanism ought to be considered to bring some normalcy in the north-east of Sri Lanka.

About 70% of the territory in the north-east is controlled by the LTTE and the reminder by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL). Recently, a large number of Tamil civilians including children were killed in the GOSL controlled area in the north-east allegedly by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF). The international community is dismayed by this worrying development and eagerly looks to both parties to take a bold and statesman-like step to break the current cycle of violence.

The LTTE can claim to have initiated the current peace process by declaring a unilateral ceasefire in 2001. By making another constructive step along this line to contain the present volatile situation, I have no doubt, not only will the international community recognise the LTTE for this gesture, but this may also  strengthen the position of the LTTE at the negotiating table.

Proposal

1. The LTTE agrees to Put Away Weapons in their Armouries under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body (PAWAPIAMB).
2. Members of the international arms monitoring body should be acceptable to the LTTE, GOSL and co-chairs.
3. PAWAPIAMB paves the way for confining the SLAF to their barracks in the north-east of Sri Lanka.   
4. Thereby the weapons are taken out of the equation in this conflict.
5. The LTTE quite rightly claims that it took up arms to defend the Tamils’ right to self determination because they were being denied basic human rights. Having agreed to PAWAPIAMB, it becomes necessary to protect the Tamils and maintain law & order in the north-east. A peace-keeping mechanism or force ought to be deployed in the north-east. 
6. Please note that PAWAPIAMB is not surrendering of weapons.
7. The list of arsenals of the LTTE and their locations would be kept confidential between the LTTE and the IAMB.
8. With the cooperation of the parties involved talks on political solution can resume between the GOSL and the LTTE in an environment of normalcy.
9. Peaceful environment that could prevail following PAWAPIAMB, is   likely to encourage the international community to carry out the   essential relief operations to the people in the north-east who have been badly affected by 25 years of destructive war and      devastation by the tsunami in 2004. 

• View a printer-friendly version of this article