Contrary to fears, the second round of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE will be held, though not as planned on April 19.
This follows an agreement between Ulf Henricsson, the head of the Scandinavian truce monitoring mission (SLMM) and SP Tamilselvan, the head of the political wing of the LTTE, in Kilinochchi on Thursday.
Tamilselvan told the media that the LTTE had agreed to the truce monitors' suggestion that a civilian vessel with truce monitors on board, be used to transport its senior commanders from the Eastern to the Northern sector and back.
The truce monitors had assured the LTTE that the safety of the journey would be guaranteed.
Henricsson said that the civilian vessel would have no Sri Lankan armed forces personnel on board.
And to doubly assure security, he said that he himself, along with ten other Scandinavian monitors, would be on board.
The vessel will set sail on Saturday with the LTTE's Trincomalee area commander Col Sornam, and Batticaloa commander Col Bhanu on board.
Fresh date sought
Following the agreement, the LTTE asked the Norwegian facilitators for a fresh date for the talks.
This was because the senior commanders from the East needed time to come to Kilinochchi and discuss various important matters with the top leadership in preparation for the Geneva talks.
{{/usCountry}}This was because the senior commanders from the East needed time to come to Kilinochchi and discuss various important matters with the top leadership in preparation for the Geneva talks.
{{/usCountry}}Originally, the Geneva talks were to be held from April 19 to 21.
Commenting on the agreement, Tamilselvan said that it had helped expose the Sri Lankan government's real intention, which was to sully the name of the LTTE internationally.
"The government of Sri Lanka, adopting a hard line stance on the ground and attempting to portray a different version to the international community would not be allowed to scuttle the reputation of the Tigers," he said.
He accused the Sri Lankan government of not wanting to participate in the Geneva talks.
Transport issue
The issue of transport was threatening to scuttle the talks.
The trouble began when the Sri Lankan government stopped the four-year old practice of giving air transport to top LTTE personnel wanting to go from sector to another, which had no land link.
When the time came for the Eastern commanders to go to Kilinochchi in the North for consultations ahead of the Geneva talks, the government suggested travel by a Sri Lankan naval ship.
The LTTE rejected this offer and wanted air travel facility restored.
The LTTE then threatened to send its commanders on its own vessel with escort provided by its own navy, the Sea Tigers.
The LTTE knew that this would be a red rag for the Sri Lankan government because the ceasefire agreement prohibited such movements in the sea.
War was clearly on the cards. The Geneva talks were also in jeopardy.
The LTTE said that there could be no talks if its senior commanders from the East could not come to Kilinochchi for the crucial meeting of the Central Committee before the Geneva talks.
It was at this stage that the truce monitors, the Norwegian facilitators, the international community, including India, decided to intervene.
Messages were sent to both the government and the LTTE to find a via media and somehow hold the Geneva talks.
Political observers said that the truce monitors' proposal to use a civilian vessel with guaranteed safe passage, had the backing of the Sri Lankan government before it was made to the LTTE.
Government prevented ethnic violence in Trincomalee
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government claimed credit for preventing communal rights in Trincomalee following the blast in the main market there on Wednesday.
Sixteen people were killed in the blast and other violent incidents in the Eastern port town.
Government spokesman Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Rohitha Bogollagama and Keheliya Rambukwelle told the media here on Thursday, that the LTTE had planted the bomb in the market located in a Sinhala dominated area in order to spark anti-Tamil riots.
The spokesman said that the people and the government had seen through the intentions of the LTTE and had remained calm. Government forces had moved in to nip the trouble in the bud.
The government was able to bring the situation under control within hours. On Thursday, all was calm in Trincomalee.
The government spokesmen, however, declined to acknowledge reports from Trincomalee that there was (anti-Tamil) rioting in Trincomalee, which claimed a number of lives.
They said that nothing could be said before the investigations were completed and the perpetrators of the violence were identified.