Sri Lankan rebels urge government to lift Jaffna blockade; warn against military moves

Associated Press, Sun October 29, 2006 06:58 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's separatist rebels lambasted the government for not agreeing to lift its blockade of an ethnic Tamil stronghold in the north, and warned of ``serious consequences'' if the military steps up its actions during ongoing negotiations.

Rebel and government negotiators attending the talks in Geneva, Switzerland, hope to salvage a 2002 cease-fire and bring a permanent end to 23 years of civil conflict on the South Asian island.

The cease-fire has virtually collapsed this year in a major upsurge of fighting in the Tamil-majority north and east. The United Nations says the renewed violence has caused more than 200,000 people to flee their homes in the area, where the rebels want to establish a separate Tamil state.

The conflict has left more than 65,000 people dead, in addition to more than 2,000 civilians and combatants killed this year.

The first day of talks on Saturday ``concluded without the parties agreeing to any measures to relieve the humanitarian crisis,'' the pro-rebel Web site TamilNet reported.

The rebels say the government has cut the northern Jaffna peninsula off from the rest of the country, and are demanding that it reopens a key road to allow the delivery of humanitarian supplies.

The government denies there is any blockade and insists a sea delivery route is cheaper, more efficient and safer.

``We took up the humanitarian crisis in Jaffna as the urgent priority issue,'' TamilNet quoted Tigers' political chief, S.P. Tamilselvan, as saying after Saturday's talks, the first formal meeting between the two sides since February.

``The Sri Lankan government was not prepared to relieve the population from the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe,'' Tamilselvan said.

Meanwhile, a rebel official attending the peace talks told The Associated Press in Geneva that the government is building troops numbers near a northern line that divides government and rebel-held territories, as peace talks began for a second day Sunday.

``This is usually done in preparation for military operations. We are very disappointed by the actions of the government. Exploitation ... for military advancement can cause serious consequences,'' said rebel military spokesman, Rasiah Ilanthirayan.

The military denied it was increasing the numbers of its troops near the northern line.

``It is completely wrong,'' military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said, accusing the rebels of carrying out false propaganda.

The government has long blamed the rebels of serious human rights abuses including the recruitment of child soldiers and that they stifle democracy in the areas they control. Colombo has said it hoped the talks can move the country forward.

Talks planned for April were canceled after both sides blamed the other for the rising violence.

The rebels want a self-ruled homeland for minority ethnic Tamils, citing discrimination by the majority Sinhalese. The government says it can offer autonomy, but not a separate state.