Shadow war endangering CFA- paper

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 October 2004, 11:13 GMT]
"Attempts by the Sri Lankan armed forces to use renegade commander Karuna to destabilize the east, have resulted in the continuation of killings that started in Batticaloa and extended to Colombo. Military analysts have characterized this scenario as a shadow war between the LTTE and the Sri Lanka Army. This situation should be brought under control immediately to avoid breakdown of ceasfire," said Thinakkural in its editorial Thursday.

"More than two years have elapsed since the ceasefire agreement (CFA) was entered into between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE, but the CFA has had to go through many an acid test. The Norwegian Deputy Minister, Vidar Helgessen, has expressed his concern that the CFA continues to be under strain. Helgessen stressed during discussion with LTTE representatives in Geneva that ceasefire violations would lead to violent actions that would, in turn, have a negative impact on the peace process, in addition to rendering the task of the SLMM harder," the editorial said.

The editorial added, "though the CFA is still in place, there are two main factors that generate tension; first, the ongoing killings, especially in the East; second, the arrest at detention of persons by both sides."

Expressing urgency to stop ongoing killings, the editorial said, "Apart from the question as to who started this shadow war, there is widespread desire that this situation should be brought to an end urgently. Norwegian facilitators have re-iterated their concern in this regard. This shadow war could be ended only by properly implementing the provisions of the CFA. In Geneva Thamilchelvan has stressed that the para military groups operating in the North-East should be disarmed as required by the CFA. One cannot disregard the LTTE's charge that the Government has not implemented the CFA scrupulously."

The paper mentioned the culpability of Sri Lanka Army in many of the killings saying, "LTTE cadres who had entered Government controlled areas for their political work have been shot dead close to front lines of the Sri Lanka Army. State and the Army are answerable to these incidents."

"Experience during the last few months has shown that to continue the shadow war is to continue the killings, and the developing crisis could prove to be extremely awkward to the SLMM," the editorial concluded.