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Lankan peace talks begin in Jaffiia
PALAU. Oct 13: The first round of peace talks in four years between government officials and Tamil guerillas fighting for independence be gan in rebel-held territory today. reports AP
Prime Minister Chandrika Kumaratunga. whose leftist coalition came to power in parliamentary elections In August, promised during her campaign to open negoUattons aimed at ending, the 11 year ethnic war. which has killed over 34.000 people
The government team flew io Jaffiia Peninsula tn northern Srl Dinka from Colombo and began talks with rebel media tors at the University of Jaffna. 300 kilometres north of Colombo
The officials gave the rebels a written message fron) Kumaratunga addressed to guerilla leader Veluplllal Prab
hakaran. a Defence .Ministry official said on condition of anonymity
But the government has refused to tell reporters what the letter contains or what Its four officials and the four rebels will discuss during the first round of talks on Thursday and Friday
"We will have to go to Jaflna and decide depending on how things turn out.' Lionel Fernando, a member of the government delegation, said before leaving Colombo. the capital
The guerillas have not dis-. cussed the negotiations on their radio station, but they recently said they may bp will Ing to drop their demand tor Independence in northern and eastern Srl Lanka and settle Instead for greater autonomy.
Meanwhile, fighting contin
ued on Wednesday. with seven soldiers and one civilian dying in a rebel ambush in northern Sri Lanka.
The military says 59 sol diets and 105 rebels have died, and 26 soldiers have disappeared. in the last two months, including a suicide attack that sank the navy's largest warship.
The attacks may be an attempt to force a ceasefire or a demonstration to Tamils that the rebels are still very strong." said Bertram Bestiampillai. a professor at Colombo University.
Nevertheless, many people appear hopeful that such talks will one day end the brutal lighting between ■’Srl* Lanka's predominantly Hindu Tamil minority and Buddhist Sinhalese majority.
The talks have raised expectations. not only among the Tamil people in the north but also the Sinhalese, in the soLth." said Rohan Edirisinghe. a professor of ’ politics. '
.'There is a mood of optimism. he said.
The military remains weary of Tamil militants, who carry cyanide pellets around their nedks to avoid being captured •alive and whose attacks scuttled the last round of peace talks in 1990.
"Any problem can be solved if both sides try honestly and sincerely. But if talks fail, we will have to pursue a military solution. Either way. the government will not allow the war to go on." said Anuruddha Ratwatte. the Deputy Defence Minister.