Norway's peace envoy arrives in Sri Lanka amid hopes for crucial tsunami aid deal

Norway's top peace envoy, Erik Solheim, arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to mediate a deal between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels on the distribution of aid to areas devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Solheim on Sunday visited Muslim refugees displaced by Sri Lanka's 19-year civil war, which killed more than 65,000 people. He was scheduled to travel to the restive eastern town of Batticaloa on Tuesday for talks with the Sri Lankan military, the Tigers and European cease-fire monitors, said Tom Knappskog, a Norwegian spokesman.

Norway has worked hard to secure a deal between the government and guerrillas to ensure that foreign aid reaches rebel-held northeastern areas ravaged by the Indian Ocean disaster, which killed more than 31,000 people in Sri Lanka.

Officials involved in the peace process said the parties were expected to move closer to an agreement, but it was unlikely to be finalized during Solheim's four-day visit.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga said last week the proposed joint mechanism to distribute aid would be the foundation of a final solution of the civil war. If a deal is reached between the two sides, it would be the first major collaboration since peace talks collapsed in April 2003.

Sri Lanka's eastern region has been engulfed in violence recently that has left dozens dead. The latest incident was the killing of a government official on Friday by suspected guerrillas. Truce monitors have warned that the violence could plunge the island back into war.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 to carve out an independent homeland in the Tamil-majority north and east. A Norway-brokered cease-fire took hold in 2002, but subsequent peace talks broke down a year later.

Solheim has played a pivotal role since 1998 in attempting to end Sri Lanka's conflict. However, efforts to revive the stalled peace talks have so far failed.

Khalid

Government’s main Muslim ally lashes out at Tamil National Alliance

he main Muslim ally of the Alliance Government has condemned Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliament Group Leader R. Sampanthan's recent statement that ‘Muslims have not earned the right to become party to a settlement in the peace process'. Deputy Leader of the National Unity Alliance M. Abul Kalam reacting to the TNA statement termed it as ‘illogical and unfair'. "If Mr. Sampanthan says that still the Muslim community has not earned the right to be a party to solution, what does he proposes? Does he suggest the Muslims to follow the footsteps of LTTE? We don't want to do that. That's why the SLMC was formed by late leader Mr. Ashraff to avoid Muslim militancy. We can't afford another armed conflict," the NUA deputy Leader stressed.

"The argument by the Tamil Parties and leaders that the Muslims have not earned the right to participate in the peace process and to become party to a negotiated settlement is unreasonable and un-acceptable.," Kalam said during a seminar organized by the Centre for Policy Alternatives recently. He also emphasized that the Tamil parties should stop paying lip service to the Muslim aspirations and whole heartedly work for accommodating Muslim factor in the peace process. It is only then a permanent peace could be achieved in Sri Lanka He reminded that during the 1987 Indo-Lanka peace accord and the Ceasefire Agreement signed in 2002 the Muslim aspirations were systematically marginalized. Muslims are at the receiving end prior and after the CFA and the same situation still continues. This was evident in Muttur and Valachchenai in 2003 and what has been happening in the last 2 months in Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa districts. "Mr. Sampanthan with his 22 MPs has a very good working relationship with the LTTE. I appeal to him on behalf of the Muslim community to use his good office to convince the LTTE to accommodate the Muslim community at all stages of the peace process, Mr. Kalam concluded," Kalam added.

Khalid

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A bhikku annoints a child in Colombo, 16 April 2005, as part of traditional New Year rituals.