Peace in Sri Lanka

1. The challenge of democracies facing terrorism
Sri Lanka continues to be confronted by, what terrorism expert and Chief Scientist at the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College, Dr. Magnus Ranstorp has described as, “[LTTE is] probably the most sophisticated terrorist organization in the world.”

Only two weeks ago the Sri Lankan Navy assisted by the Air Force was able to detect and destroy 03 large LTTE ships carrying arms and ammunition in the high-seas about 1200 km (600 nautical miles southeast of Sri Lanka’s southern most tip of Dondra) thus foiling the LTTE’s latest attempt to smuggle lethal weapons into the country.

The full magnitude of the danger posed by the LTTE, which is proscribed throughout the European Union, in India, the US, the UK and Canada and has restrictions placed on it in Australia, is most vividly detailed in the September 2007 issue of the leading London based intelligence magazine Jane’s Intelligence Review. A special report by John Solomon and B.C. Tan titled “Feeding the Tiger – how Sri Lankan insurgents fund their way”, makes several important revelations to the world, about the operatives, their modus operandi, and the current level of threat posed by the LTTE, both to the territorial integrity and security of Sri Lanka, and to the security of the international community.

The report states and I quote;
- “The Tamil Tiger' financial and procurement structure is well organised and strategically positioned around the globe. Unlike the decentralised jihadist movement, the LTTE is a centralised, hierarchical organisation commanded and controlled by its founding leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran”.

- “Irrespective of the correlation between the LTTE’s financial situation and the longevity that has cost more than 60,000 lives, the activities of the LTTE abroadincluding extortion, narcotics trafficking and credit card fraud- have a negative impact on the countries and societies that host its presence”.

- “the Tamil Tigers generate an estimated US$ 200 to 300 million per year”, and “after accounting for its estimated US$ 8 million per year of costs within LTTE administered Sri Lanka, the profit margin of its operating budget would likely be the envy of any multinational corporation.”

You would agree that the implication of these comments is that the international community should take tough action against the LTTE and its global terror network as it would amount to be an act of self interest by members of the international community, to eradicate terrorism.

2. Significance of US support to Sri Lanka in meeting this challenge
In our struggle against LTTE terrorism, Sri Lanka has considered the U.S. to be a steadfast friend.
I speak to an audience of a country which:

• Besides India, which proscribed the LTTE in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, the U.S. was the first western country to recognize the potential threat that could be posed by the LTTE and took steps to proscribe the organisation in 1997.

• The U.S. has supported Sri Lanka in many ways in its effort to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country at crucial points. Over the years in its fight against terrorism Sri Lanka has sought and has received military assistance from the U.S. in many forms. The U.S. administration has supported Sri Lanka considerably, enhancing the capability of the Sri Lanka Navy in defending our territorial waters, and the exclusive Economic Zone (of 1.2 million square miles 21 times the size of the country) particularly to prevent smuggling of weapons and ammunition by making available a coast guard cutter USS “Courageous”, which plays a pivotal role in help protect the maritime security of our vast exclusive economic zone. Given the significance of the Colombo Port as a major transhipment point the U.S. has also contributed significantly toward enhancing surveillance of our waters through support to modalities under multilateral initiatives such as the Container Security Initiative, the Mega Ports Initiative and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, and in supporting Sri Lanka’s entry to the ASEAN Regional Forum.

• Among our military purchases to fight terrorism, U.S. companies have been important suppliers. At present Sri Lankan armed forces receive training in the U.S. your facilities, and let me add that Sri Lanka has contributed to the UN Peacekeeping operations in Haiti.

• The U.S. administration was also the first to pro-actively take tangible action to thwart the macabre designs of the LTTE to harm ? Sri Lanka, when in a sting operation launched by the FBI in August 2006 not only nabbed a number of key LTTE activists, but also has unearthed a wealth of information regarding the modus operandi of the organization in that country. Thirteen persons with close links to the LTTE, including "Waterloo" Suresh alias Suresh Skandarajah, from Buffalo, New York, San Jose, California, Seattle, Washington and Connecticut were arrested following the Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) and FBI probe into the allegations that LTTE sympathizers in North America for seeking to purchase surface to air missiles, missile launchers, AK-47s, and other weapons to be used by the LTTE against the Sri Lankan military missiles and move terror funds. They are also accused of attempting to use LTTE front organizations, including the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to bribe State Department officials for obtaining classified documents containing information relating to the organizations. Among those arrested was a British doctor, Murugesu Vinayagamoorthy alias Dr. Moorthy, a senior LTTE intermediary, was also arrested in New York for aiding the LTTE. They are currently awaiting trial.

• At the same time in a case filed by the US Government in Baltimore, four LTTE agents, including three foreign nationals, were arrested for seeking to provide material support to the LTTE, a designated foreign terrorist organization in the US. Of them, on 5th April 2007, a Singapore national, Haniffa Bin Osman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the LTTE, while Haji Subandi and Erick Wotulo, both Indonesian citizens, pleaded guilty to attempting to illegally export arms for the LTTE. On 10th May 2007 Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, a Sri Lankan citizen, pleaded guilty in a US court for conspiring to provide material support to the LTTE and attempt export of arms and ammunition. According to the plea, from April to September 29, 2006, Varatharasa conspired with Haji Subandi, Haniffa Osman and Erick Wotulo to export state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface to air missiles, night vision goggles and other military weapons to the LTTE not only conducted but has convicted four persons in Baltimore.

• On 25 April 2007, the US based leader of the LTTE, Karunakaran Kandasamay alias Karuna, and four others were arrested by the Joint Terrorist Task Force of the federal law enforcement agency, in the New York suburb of Jamaica, Queens on the charge of providing material support for the LTTE by fund raising. The process of preparation for trial we understand is currently underway.

• Earlier this year US based INTELSAT took action to terminate the illegal use of one of its satellites by the LTTE to illegally broadcast the LTTE's so called official TV channel, ‘National Television of Tamil Eelam' (NTT) launched in 2005 and originating from northern Sri Lanka and beamed across Europe and Asia.

3. Sri Lanka’s road map to peace

Sri Lanka does have a road map to peace.

On our part, it is the firm conviction of the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the present conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be solved through military means. The government is fully committed to finding a lasting negotiated political settlement to the conflict.

Upon assumption of office in November 2005, President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his very first address offered to meet the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, face to face. Consistent with his view that building a ‘southern consensus’ among the political parties in the south was pivotal to arriving at any negotiated political settlement, the President also convened the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) in January 2006. Since then the APRC has gone through a painstaking process aimed at developing a set of proposals to resolve the present conflict that would have broad acceptability. The APRC is now reaching the final stages of its deliberations. Our Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, together with the party leaders, is participating in the APRC process. The APRC is currently in the process of finalizing the proposals and President Rajapaksa is on record stating that he would accept whatever the consensus that emerges from the APRC.

I trust you are aware, that within two months after assuming office, President Rajapaksa revived the process of negotiations with the LTTE that had broken down since April 2003, and participated in talks with the LTTE arranged through the Norwegian facilitators on three occasions during 2000. Having been a member of the delegation of these talks, I can say with authority that the LTTE did not demonstrate the slightest inclination to resolve any substantive issue, but were merely intent on extending the opportunity opened to them since signing of the Ceasefire Agreement to re-arm, re-group and to try to restore its badly tarnished image in the West, which in the post 9/11 context saw the LTTE for what they were – a group of terrorists. The LTTE’s position is nothing new, since 1985, when the Government of Sri Lanka held its first negotiations with groups dominated by the LTTE, successive Sri Lankan administrations have also engaged in talks in 1987, 1989, 1994, and 2002. The LTTE has exploited those periods to bolster its armed capability and single handedly torpedoed the efforts at peace and walked away from the negotiating table.

Despite all these efforts at peace, less than two weeks after the President’s assumption of office, the LTTE unleashed a brutal killing spree against the security forces installations and personnel- including a failed attacked by a LTTE female suicide bomber on the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and carried out the assassination of his third in command Major Gen. Parami Kulatunga, followed by attacks against civilians. The government desisted from taking any significant retaliatory action despite these provocations. However, in July 2006, when it became clear that the LTTE was intent on disrupting civilian life in the Eastern Province, through cutting off water supply to a large area, and subsequently targeting the strategic naval port of Trincomalee, the government was compelled to clear the LTTE from the Eastern province. The objective of our effort over the past year in militarily engaging the LTTE in the Eastern Province, was to convince the group that it cannot expect to achieve a military victory and that a solution to the conflict needs to be found at the negotiating table.

Today, the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, which was until recently terrorized by the LTTE, has been rid of that menace. The security forces and other agencies of the Government of Sri Lanka have worked hard to secure the area, to restore normalcy and to resettle people, who had been temporarily displaced from their homes. I am sure, those of you, who are familiar with the difficulties faced in carrying out military as well as ‘hearts and mind’ operations in areas dominated by terrorists, would appreciate the magnitude of the challenge, which has been successfully completed by the Sri Lankan security forces. Having done so, today, with the assistance from the international community, the UN agencies as well as international and local NGOs, the government has embarked on a programme to bring about sustainable development in the Eastern Province and to hold elections at an early date. It is our hope that this exercise will serve as a model in post conflict development and I urge the cooperation of those, who are in a capacity to do so to help make this process a success.

Through the Nagenahira Navodaya Programme (Reawakening of the East) the humanitarian situation in the conflict affected areas has improved, especially after gaining full control of the areas in the Eastern Province, which have been under LTTE dominance. This has also contributed to a sharp de-escalation of the conflict in the Eastern Province, which would facilitate a comprehensive programme in infrastructure development and the conduct of local and provincial level elections in the near future..

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have recently acknowledged that the voluntary resettlement of IDPs in the East has been undertaken in keeping with international standards. In the Eastern Province, most IDPs have returned to their homes and the remainder will be resettled, after clearing the remaining areas of landmines.

Arrangements for improvement of the law and order situation are underway. New police stations have been established while existing stations are being strengthened to provide a better service to the community. 2000 Tamil speaking police officers are being recruited to serve the province. Restoration and strengthening of the civil administration is underway with the provision of office buildings and recruitment of new staff.

Majority of the displaced persons have been resettled and measures are currently underway to resettle the remaining displaced persons as early as possible. Resettlement is being carried out with the support and cooperation of UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies. The Government, with the assistance of the World Food Programme, provides food rations to the displaced families and returnees.

Livelihood assistance programmes to the local populations are underway with the collaboration of UN Agencies and INGOS. A major challenge the Government is facing in the Eastern Province is rebuilding the damaged infrastructure for which we have requested assistance from the international community

At present there is a vibrant debate in Sri Lanka as to the nature and extent of devolution of power that should be offered as a solution to solve the present conflict.

In a statement issued last week, the Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Prof. Tissa Vitarana on “present status of APRC” stated “following the understanding reached at the discussions of the Government Party Leaders held under the Chairmanship of the President, and thereafter the Prime Minister, the APRC has been meeting every week in a cordial manner. Subject areas, which had not been discussed previously, are now being covered and a common position is being worked out.”

At the moment agreement has been reached on most of the areas. Discussion is going on at the moment on the devolution of powers and is focused on the National List, Provincial List and the Local Government List. I am happy to say that with the cooperation of the representatives of the SLFP, JHU, MEP, EPDP, SLMC, CMC, NUA, National Congress, CWC, UPF, CP, WPF and the LSSP steady progress is being made and we hope to finalize the common document as early as possible.”

It is also noteworthy that it appears that the United National Party (UNP) has in a statement issued through a spokesperson indicated that there would be a change in party policy with respect to devolution of power and that “our solution is broad devolution not federalism”.

We appreciate the recent sentiments expressed by the U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake at an event in Colombo on 21st September 2007, where he noted “the Government of Sri Lanka has achieved some important victories in the last several months. The expulsion of the LTTE from the east and the recent sinking of several LTTE ships carrying arms and other provisions mark important military successes, but these tactical successes should not tempt the government to reconsider whether Sri Lanka’s conflict can be won by military means. It cannot”.

At the same time, Ambassador Blake, while urging the government to ensure a successful APRC outcome has noted that “we hope that all parties in the APRC will frame the final APRC proposals in a manner that avoids the use of divisive, emotive terms like “federalism” and “unitary”.

I can assure you that the Sri Lanka government’s intentions are not at all at variance with the views expressed by the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo. In fact, I would say that we share the same view.