SLanka media hails unity pact ahead of talks

Colombo, Oct 24: Sri Lanka's media today hailed a pact between the ruling and main opposition parties that includes cooperation on the peace process with the Tamil Tigers.

The pact signed yesterday between the two major parties in the Sinhalese-dominated south came five days ahead of key peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is fighting for an independent homeland for the minority Tamils.

Analysts say greater unity in the normally politically divided south would help the government negotiate with more flexibility and public support with the rebels in talks in Geneva on October 28-29, aimed at trying to ease an ethnic conflict that has left more than 65,000 people dead since 1983.

''Bravo, they did it,'' read a headline in the Daily Mirror, referring to President Mahinda Rajapakse's ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and main opposition United National Party (UNP) of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Island said: ''Cohabitation begins.'' ''It will certainly be a worrisome proposition for the LTTE, which claims it cannot trust any government to carry out a settlement it may agree to, as state politics and pacts don't survive elections,'' the Island said in an editorial.

''If the SLFP and UNP could agree on a political solution and offer it to the LTTE jointly, the LTTE will be left without excuses for continued bloodletting. This is the way forward.'' The Colombo stock exchange ended 1.3 per cent higher on close yesterday after news of the signing of the political pact.

LTTE leaders were not available for comment but a leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), seen as the political proxy of the LTTE, said he welcomed the pact but with misgivings.

''If they really want to solve the problem, we welcome it,'' N Raviraj, TNA deputy from the restive Jaffna region, told Reuters.

''But as far as the TNA is concerned, we hold these two parties responsible for creating the (ethnic) problem. The Tamils are still not sure whether their intentions are genuine and have lost faith in the government.'' The rebel and government peace delegations were expected to leave for Geneva later on Tuesday from Colombo.

The dialogue comes against a backdrop of increased violence since July with at least 1,000 killed in fighting between the rebels and the military, leaving a 2002 truce in shreds.

The Sinhalese who make up more than 75 per cent of the island's 20-million population are located in the politically fractious south, whose support is key to power.

Analysts say there was pent-up support for such a pact in the south of the country.

''There was a real need for the parties to come together as there was real popular support for the move,'' said Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council, an independent thinktank.

''Since they have come together, they have made it possible for the government to present a political alternative that would weaken the rationale for further military action by itself or by the LTTE and allowed the government more room to negotiate.''

REUTERS