By Our Defence Correspondent
As the next round of peace talks between the government and the LTTE in the German capital of Berlin approaches, relations between the two sides have soured slightly with both sides making allegations against each other, and the Tigers being placed under tremendous pressure regarding child recruitment by the visit of UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy.

Last Thursday’s meeting between Defence Secretary Austin Fernando and the LTTE’s Eastern Commander Colonel Karuna, was not a very cordial one, with issues such as the removal of the LTTE billboard in Batticaloa town by police, becoming thorny problems.

Col. Karuna lambasted the government for allowing the billboard to be removed, charging that such irresponsible actions were the cause of heightened tensions in the East.

Defence Secretary Fernando, who has been bending over backwards to please the LTTE over the last year, tried to calm things down, but the LTTE delegation was insistent that the billboard be put back. Fernando was clearly in a bad mood following the meeting, which is unusual for him after he has had talks with the LTTE. For once, it seemed that the talkative Defence Secretary had been given a talking-to, rather than holding forth as he likes to do.

Major General Anton Wijendra represented the army at the talks, which were held at the Divisional Secretariat in Vavunathivu. Senior officials of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, led by its head, Maj. Gen. Trond Furuhovde, also participated in the talks as observers.

The issue of child recruitment by the LTTE was also discussed, with reference being made to the SLMM’s annual report for 2002 in which 337 cases of child abductions had been reported by parents. The LTTE, mindful of the presence in Sri Lanka of the UNICEF Executive Director, went on the offensive, claiming that many of these cases were in government-controlled areas, and that the LTTE was not responsible. Karuna further charged that other Tamil groups that operate alongside the armed forces, are responsible for the abductions.

Karuna held a press conference immediately after the meeting, and totally denied the allegation of child abductions. He had come well prepared and cited several instances in which young children had been returned to their parents by the LTTE through the SLMM, as evidence that the Tigers don’t recruit children.

Karuna also came out strongly against agitation by Muslims in the East, especially the demonstrations that were held last week against the LTTE levying taxes on Muslims. Karuna went so far as to deny that the taxes contravened the agreement between the LTTE and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

The LTTE delegation also complained to the Defence Secretary about alleged harassment by the armed forces. But interestingly, they did not cite any concrete cases, apart from complaints from unlicensed LTTE drivers that they were being prevented from driving in areas controlled by the government due to the police asking them to produce their driving licenses!

Meanwhile, in the Wanni on Friday, the LTTE was rolling out the red carpet for the visiting UNICEF Executive Director. No less a person than Political Wing Leader Thamil Chelvam greeted Ms. Bellamy, and elaborate preparations had been made for her visit.

When Ms. Bellamy arrived in Kilinochchi she was subjected to an excellent LTTE propaganda process that was intended to "soften her up." This included being first met by such disarming officials as the Secretary of the Kilinochchi Peace Secretariat Selvi, and the Head of the Tamil Eelam Education section Illankumaran, before she met the LTTE’s Political Affairs Administrative Head Sutha Master, and finally Thamil Chelvam. She was also taken to a nearby school where she was entertained by young children, in a bid to impress upon her that the LTTE is more friendly towards children than reports on child conscription allege.

The meeting between Ms. Bellamy and Thamil Chelvam lasted more than two hours, in which she impressed upon the LTTE the need to change its image towards children’s issues, if the Tigers are to gain acceptance in the world community.

Thamil Chelvam was careful not to contradict the UNICEF head, but said that many of the complaints had been "exaggerated".

Thamil Chelvam scored a major point by impressing on MS. Bellamy that the LTTE does not have funds for children’s welfare, and obtaining a promise from her that UNICEF would provide increased aid for this purpose. The modalities of how such aid would be channelled, whether through the government, were not discussed.

However, according to plan, he assured Ms. Bellamy that the LTTE would work towards improving the lot of children in the war affected areas, and following the meeting, a press conference was held in which Thamil Chelvam announced that the LTTE and UNICEF had "agreed to work together for the welfare of war affected children in the Northeast".

However, it will be recalled that the LTTE conducted a similar propaganda exercise five years ago, during the visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Children, Mr. Olara Otunnu, in which identical assurances were made. After a few years, when it became apparent that the LTTE was not keeping its promises and was continuing to abduct and conscript children, Mr. Otunnu himself had some harsh public words for the LTTE’s broken promises.

Thamil Chelvam told Ms. Bellamy that persons opposed to the peace process included such as President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Meanwhile, as the official Ceasefire Agreement between the government and the LTTE nears its first anniversary, rumours surfaced that the agreement was to be replaced by a more comprehensive agreement. However, the government, and the SLMM which monitors the abiding of the agreement by both sides, denied such speculation. It is understood that there had been some discussions on this matter at the Defence Ministry, particularly with regard to areas which are not covered by the agreement, such as conflict at sea. But with the present low state of relations between the two sides, it was decided that this is not an opportune time to re-do the agreement, and that it would continue as it is. However, there is some likelihood that more aspects will be added to the agreement in the future, without replacing it completely.