By: Ravi R Prasad
First published: 27 July 04, TODAY

The absence of war and the peace process which is in a limbo is threatening the fragile peace in Sri Lanka.

There have been no bloody clashes between the armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since a truce that was reached in 2002. But there is no sign of a resumption of the stalled peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the rebels to end the 20-year-old ethnic conflict that has claimed about 70,000 lives.

Amidst the growing mistrust between the two stakeholders, efforts to revive the talks have failed. The LTTE is threatening to return to the battlefield to achieve its goal of carving out a separate state in the north and east of the country for the Tamil community, which accounts for some 17 per cent of Sri Lanka's population of 19.5 million.

The Norwegian government that had acted as an interlocutor in the stalled peace talks is making serious attempts to revive it. A week ago, its special envoy, Mr Erik Solhiem, was in Colombo. Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgessen, now on a visit to Sri Lanka, is expected to travel to the northern town of Kilinochchi, LTTE's political headquarters today.

The Tamil Tigers rebels have threatened that the peace process and the ceasefire signed in February 2002 are in danger as the government is sheltering a renegade LTTE leader, Mr Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias 'Col' Karuna or Karuna Amman (uncle).

The government denies the allegation, but the LTTE says it has evidence to prove its claim.

On its part, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government is coming under increasing pressure from its allies and hardline elements of the majority Sinhala community not to take up the discussion on LTTE's proposal to set up an interim self-governing authority (ISGA) in the north and east of the country.

The Sinhala and the Tamil communities crave for peace but the split in the LTTE, with Col Karuna rebelling against LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and its demand for an ISGA are the two major stumbling blocks to the resumption of the peace process.

"The delay in starting the talks is vitiating the environment," said Mr Shiv Shanmughanathan, who lost his son in the conflict. "The government and the LTTE should immediately resume talks. If the talks do not start, the economic and living conditions in the north will worsen."

The government is not prepared to accept the LTTE demand for the ISGA as it would mean conferring legitimacy to a parallel administration run by the guerrillas in the areas under their control.

The Sinhala chauvinists claim that granting the ISGA would pave the way for secession. "The Tigers cannot be tamed, they have to be eliminated," said Mr Champika Wijesuriya, a resident of the Kalutara town, south of Colombo. "In the past we had peace talks and a cease-fire, but the Tigers broke it. So, how can we trust them?"

However, a majority in both the communities favour a resumption of the peace talks. They are eagerly awaiting such a development.

"The war has cost us heavily, we don't want to see it again," said Mr Sumangala Hettiarrachi, who drives a three-wheeler taxi in the capital. "The government should start talking and bargaining with the LTTE."

But, according to the government, the demand for an interim self-government is a "maximalist" position adopted by the LTTE.

The leftist Janatha Vimukti Perumuna (People's Liberation Front), a partner in President Kumaratunga's ruling coalition, is firmly opposed to any discussion on the ISGA. The withdrawal of its support could bring down the government.

Analysts said as there was no guarantee given by the Tamil Tigers that they will not walk away from the negotiating table once again, it was unlikely that Ms Kumaratunga will risk alienating her allies and the majority Sinhala community to please the LTTE.

However, to keep the ball rolling and to engage the LTTE in some sort of talks, the government is preparing an agenda for possible negotiation. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said the agenda was being drafted, but did not divulge the issues that would figure in the first round of talks.

The suicide bombing in the capital earlier this month brought immense pressure on the government to resume the talks.

"It is all the more necessary to resume negotiations now," said Dr Pakiyasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives. "There is every reason to get to the table in order to avoid situations like this that send the message that a peace process in limbo is a dangerous one."

Increasing international pressure and domestic compulsions could play a crucial role in bringing the two sides back to the negotiating table.

The writer is a journalist based in Colombo.