Tigers’ attempts at rehabilitation

The LTTE is reported to have sought Indian involvement in Sri Lanka’s peace process. It is said to have solicited India’s help to hold the talks with Sri Lankan government either in Madras or Banglore. The LTTE is quoted in the Indian press as having said, "Though the LTTE does not welcome any country that has banned it, including India, to be a direct third party intermediary on the grounds of being perceived as partial, it is amenable to Indian observers if India hosts the talks."

Explaining why it prefers to have talks in an Indian city, the LTTE has said that Anton Balasingham, has to be in constant contact with Prabhakaran and the LTTE camps in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it has said, talks cannot be held in Europe.

The LTTE wants us to believe that in this era of advanced technology, Balasingham cannot negotiate without shuttling between the venue of talks and the LTTE camps. If so, how has he been able to function as the LTTE spokesman from London?

With the technology available today, talks are possible even tens of thousands of miles away from Prabhakaran’s bunker in the Wanni. The real objective of the LTTE’s efforts to involve India in the talks appears to be an attempt to rehabilitate itself in the Western World that is now firmly against all forms of terrorism.

With the developed world turning hostile to the terrorist outfits masquerading as liberation movements and bans being slapped on them, the LTTE is feeling the need to re-establish links with India. Making an enemy of India was a blunder that has cost the LTTE dearly. The assassination of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi and grandson of Pundit Nehru, which led to its proscription in India must be a cause of regret for the LTTE.

The LTTE may have thought of winning back India’s sympathy by involving India in the negotiations. Indian involvement as an observer and talks in an Indian city will lend some legitimacy to the LTTE in India which is sure to stand it in good stead in its campaign for deproscription and regain a foothold in Indian soil. Revamping relations with India will also help soften the stand of the West on the LTTE terrorism.

But how can India comply with the LTTE request? It will be politically suicidal for the Vajpayee government to host the killers of Rajiv in India, which could be likened to hosting bin Laden in New York. The Congress led by Rajiv’s widow Sonia Gandhi, is sure to vehemently protest against such a move. Vajpayee is already stuck neck deep in trouble.

Despite all its problems, the LTTE is playing its cards very well. Its unilateral truce has had Sri Lankan government bending backwards to bring it to the negotiating table. Besides reciprocating the LTTE’s ceasefire, the government has gone to the extent of ensuring a free flow of goods to the LTTE held areas including the items that were prohibited for security reasons. Roadblocks have been reduced to a minimum. Cordon and search operations have been abandoned.

For all this, the LTTE has done just one thing—declaration of a truce. There is no other commitment on its part and there is nothing to prevent it from resuming hostilities unilaterally as it has done on several occasions in the past.

Therefore, the success of the peace process for which grand preparations are being made will all depend on the ability of the facilitator or others who advocate negotiations as the way to Sri Lanka’s problem to prevent the LTTE from violating the negotiations. The best way to forestall this is to extract a commitment from the LTTE to give up terrorism and agree to decommissioning of arms before talks begin. The suggestion for India to host peace-talks—after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the ‘gratitude’ expressed by the LTTE for helping them with funds arms and training by taking on the IPKF—is ludicrous.

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