Mahinda wants Hanssen-Bauer to defer Kilinochchi trip
December 3rd, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Norwegian special peace envoy, Jon Hanssen – Bauer may not go to Kilinochchi to meet the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Tuesday December 5th as originally scheduled.
This is due to a “request” made by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse that Hanssen – Bauer should postpone his meeting with the tigers till the Government of Sri Lanka(GOSL) arrives at some new decisions.
The “request” was conveyed to Hanssen – Bauer through Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
The Norwegian special envoy who arrived in Colombo last week has met with Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Peace secretariat director PTB Kohona.
He was scheduled to be in Kilinochchi to meet tiger representatives and ascertain from them the current status of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) that has been in force from Feb 23rd 2002.
This was necessitated as a result of LTTE chief Velupillai Pirapakaran’s Great Heroes Day speech on November 27th during the course of which he descibed the ceasefire as “defunct”.
The GOSL wanted facilitator Norway to inquire from the LTTE as to what the position was and clarify the contents of the speech.
President Rajapakses decision of asking Hanssen – Bauer to defer his Kilinochchi trip is due to the attack on his brother and Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse on Dec 1st.
The GOSL is seriously examining the pros and cons of abrogating the CFA unilaterally and also proscribing the LTTE formally.
The GOSL also intends introducing further emergency regulations under the Public Security Ordinance (PSO) and re – imposing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) .The PTA was not enforced under article 2.13 of the CFA.
Though the GOSL will not proscribe the LTTE for the moment a final decision will be made soon on that and the CFA issue.
Rajapakse wants the Norwegian facilitators to meet the LTTE after the GOSL stance on these issues are finalised and new emergency laws prmulgated.
He is also opposed to Hanssen – Bauer meeting the LTTE at this juncture because it may convey a wrong signal to the tigers and the country.
A meeting with the LTTE shortly after the attack in Colombo could be interpreted as a sign of waekness feels Rajapakse. He also needs time to finalise his position.
The response of Hanssen – Bauer to this request is not known but it is expected that he would abide by Rajapakse’s wishes.
In that respect the Norwegian envoy may return to Oslo without visiting Kilinochchi.
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