Struggle for Tamil Eelam - Sri Lanka's Peace Trap 1994/95

தமிழ்த் தேசியம்

"To us all towns are one, all men our kin.
Life's good comes not from others' gift, nor ill
Man's pains and pains' relief are from within.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !."
- Tamil Poem in Purananuru, circa 500 B.C

Chandrika - LTTE Talks: 1994/95

Sri Lanka Prime Minister Chandrika Kumaratunga
to LTTE leader Velupillai Pirabaharan

Dear Mr.V.Pirabaharan,

    We are happy to note that the LTTE has welcomed our gesture of goodwill towards the people of Jaffna and North in lifting the embargo imposed by the previous Government. We appreciate the decision taken by the LTTE to release ten police detainees who were held in the LTTE custody for several years and consider this gesture as one of goodwill and a demonstration of your positive intentions to negotiate the solutions to the problems of North and East.

    We have noted with much interest your statement that you are prepared for peace talks. We would like to discuss this matter in greater detail. We suggest that you nominate representatives to begin discussions with my nominees.

    We would like to ensure that items for which the embargo was lifted reach the people of Jaffna without any delay. In this matter, we find difficulty as we have only Point Pedro to which we could transfer the goods directly. We would like to work out the ways and means we could get these goods without delay to the people of Jaffna.

    Our Government has also decided to restore, as far as possible, electricity, repair the major highways and part of the irrigation schemes, as further normalisation of civil life.

    We welcome your offer of co-operation in our Government's efforts towards peace and restoring normalcy in the North and East.

    We therefore expect you to extend all co-operation to our technical officers who would be handling the repair works in the above stated development projects.

    I suppose that the discussions I have suggested between your nominee and mine could also work out the modalities of this exercise.

Thanking you.
Yours Sincerely

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
Prime Minister

Reply from LTTE leader Velupillai Pirabaharan
to Sri Lanka Prime Minister Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

We are please to receive your letter dated 9th September 1994. We are glad to note that you have welcomed our gesture of goodwill by releasing ten police detainees in our custody.

We appreciate your sincere concern that the goods for which the economic embargo was lifted should reach the people of Jaffna without delay. We share a mutual concern in this issue and would be glad to assist you in your endeavour to find ways and means to resolve this urgent problem.

We welcome the decision of your Government to restore electricity, repair highways and renovate irrigation schemes. We wish to assure you that the LTTE will extend its fullest co-operation and assistance to the Government's technical officers who would be involved in the renovation work.

We appreciate your favourable response to our call for peace talks. You have suggested that we nominate our representatives to begin preliminary discussions. We therefore nominate the following persons as our accredited representatives to conduct initial talks. Your nominees could also discuss with our representatives the modalities involved in the renovation work of the proposed development projects. Our nominees are:

1.Mr. K Karikalan, Deputy Head of Political Section, 2.Mr.S.Illamparithy, Political Organiser, Jaffna District, 3.Mr.A.Ravi, Head of the Department of Economic Research and Development, and 4.Mr.S Dominique, Head of the Department of Public Administration.

Furthermore, we note with regret that no reference is made in your letter to our suggestion of a cease-fire. You will appreciate that cessation of hostilities is a crucial element in the process of building up an atmosphere of peace, goodwill and normalisation of civilian life. I hope that you will consider this matter in earnest.