With defence expenditure running at $300 million this year, and the World Bank exerting pressure for economic reforms, the Sri Lankan government was hoping for a continuation of the fragile peace tn the island's 12-year civil war. Even when the ceasefire was shattered by lethal rebel attacks, the administration refused to be panicked into retaliation.THE breaking of the ceasefire by the secessionist Tamil Tigers is a major setback for President Chandrika Kumaratunga s recently installed government, which came to power on a tide of optimism that Sri Lanka's 12-year civil war could be brought to an end.
The prospect of further fighting also threatens the government's economic programme. with defence expenditure already running at $300 million this year.
There was speculation that the Tigers attacks were timed to coincide with a meeting in Paris at which donors were discussing their 1995 aid allocations to South Asia's most prosperous country.
One of the background documents was a World Bank study pointing out that growth has been slowed by the struggled for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the island. More than 30.000 people have been killed in the fighting.
Kumaratunga is also under pressure from the Bank and other donors to make extensive economic reforms, and is grappling with persistent labour unrest. So the blowing up of two naval gunboats in the eastern port of Trinicomalee. killing 12 sailors, and subsequent attacks on army camps, were a particularly unwelcome development. *A total of 51 troops were killed.
The attacks occurred when many soldiers were just returning to camp after the long Sinhala arid Tamil new year holidays. The Sunday Times criticised military unpreparedness. 'The military must wake-up." it counselled, and
said i lie navy had been "partying.'' One immediate response was a decision to recruit another 5.000 troops immediately.
Kumaratunga's determination not to give up the search for peace even after the Unilateral breaking of the January • ceasefire was shown by the government's instruction that troops should conduct only search operations and attack only in defence. .
It also reimposed a re-
cently-lifted embargo on delivery of 19 items to the Tamil-dominated North, discontinued all fishing in eastern waters and put the island on red alert.
Her measured response made the Tigers, not the government. look like , the enemies of peace.
It is possible that the people most disappointed by the behaviour of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the Tamils of Northern
Jaffna, who after 12 years of life in a war zone stood to benefit from the softening of the economic embargo and the halt to the fighting which followed Kumaratunga s election.
Kumaratunga certainly hopes that is the case. She told a mass rally in the South: "It is apparent that the LTTE is not prepared to make an effort to achieve the aspirations of the Tamil people for peace." she said.
"We will achieve peace with or without the LTTE. The people of the North as well as the South are crying for peace. Hence, the LTTE will not be able to suppress their aspirations by sheer force. The people of the North desire peace . and we will work with that aim ■ in mind."
Perhaps mindful of the propaganda war. the Tamil Tigers later said they had "not closed their mind nor their doors to peace." but said they wanted a fresh initiative from the government on the resumption of talks.
The government, however, has to take account of the anger of the majority Sinhalese community. Many Sinhalese . argued that the Tigers flouting of an agreement that the "cessation of hostilities" would be ended only after the giving of 72 hours notice proved that they are not be trusted.
The Tigers, they argued, always prepared for war. even while talking peace, and had used the ceasefire to re-supply. reconnoitre and recruit. A large number of hard-core Tigers are said to have come to Colombo since January.
— GEMINI NEWS
VILMA WIMALADASA is a Sri Lankan freelance Journalist.