SRI LANKA: REBEL LEADER VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN MAKES FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN OVER A DECADE PAVING WAY FOR SOLUTION TO CONFLICT
Record ID:
647569
SRI LANKA: REBEL LEADER VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN MAKES FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN OVER A DECADE PAVING WAY FOR SOLUTION TO CONFLICT
- Title: SRI LANKA: REBEL LEADER VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN MAKES FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN OVER A DECADE PAVING WAY FOR SOLUTION TO CONFLICT
- Date: 12th April 2002
- Summary: (W3) COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (APRIL 10, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. MV PEOPLE IN COLOMBO WATCHING TAMIL REBEL LEADER VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN'S PRESS CONFERENCE ON TELEVISION; SCU ZOOM OUT PRABHAKARAN ON TELEVISION (2 SHOTS) 0.13 2. MV PAIKIASOTHY SARANVANAMUTTU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SRI LANKAN THINK TANK, THE CENTRE FOR POLICY PLANNING, READING A NEWSPAPER; SCU NEWSPAPER (2 SHOTS) 0.21 (W3)COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (APRIL 11, 2002) (REUTERS) 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAIKIASOTHY SARANVANAMUTTU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRE FOR POLICY PLANNING, SAYING "I think that nothing so far as what they said poses a challenge to the peace process. Nothing they said was such that has not been communicated by them before in terms of the arguments with regards to, under what circumstances will you give us secessionist demand etc. One of the things of course is that when they were asked about the past and they kept saying past is past and we must move forward. Those are issues that have to be addressed at a later point in time." 0.49 4. SLV PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREETS; SLV TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS) 1.02 5. SLV CABINET SPOKESMAN AND MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIES, GAMINI PEIRIS, ARRIVING FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE; MV MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 1.15 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CABINET SPOKESMAN AND MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIES, GAMINI PEIRIS, SAYING "The government's reaction is very clear. To our minds one of the most significant aspects of that briefing is definition that emerged regarding the concept of self-determination. Mister Prabhakaran in the course of that discussion explained very clearly what he has in mind when he refers to self-determination. He indicated that it was an internal concept. What he was talking about was sharing of power within the framework of one country. Now we regard that as very refreshing and positive development. The solution that is being contemplated is within one country and what is now being focussed upon is a division of power. The sharing of power within that country. 2.19 7. MV REPORTERS LISTENING 2.23 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CABINET SPOKESMAN AND MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIES, GAMINI PEIRIS, SAYING "It is very significant that Mr Prabhakaran is now prepared to meet the media. So this entails visibility and exposure. There are more and more indications that the LTTE is coming into the democratic mainstream with political way of life. That is a transformation from a military regime into a political organisation. Now that is one of the most significant developments." 3.00 9. MV TWO HOSTS OF A TELEVISION SHOW SITTING AT THE STUDIO 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SRI LANKAN PRIME MINISTER RANIL WICKREMESINGHE ON TELEVISION SAYING "Yesterday LTTE leader Mr Prabhakaran said that if there is internal self-determination, that is acceptable alternative to a separate state. I think that was a most important aspect of the conference and it shows they are willing to work within the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. So now we can come up with a solution." 3.34 11. MV NEWSPAPER STAND; SCU NEWSPAPERS (3 SHOTS) 3.52 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 27th April 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
- Country: Sri Lanka
- Reuters ID: LVADQ53JI2BY6F6YKBI28HIEIWHA
- Story Text: Sri Lanka's government sees a window of opportunity to
settle a bloody war following rebel leader Velupillai
Prabhakaran's first public appearance in over a decade
Sri Lanka's government put a positive spin on Prabhakaran's
first public appearance in over a decade, saying it could
pave the way for a solution to the conflict that has wrecked
the island nation for nearly two decades.
On Wednesday (April 10, 2002), a delayed telecast of
Prabhakaran's first news conference in over a decade easily
upstaged a prime-time cricket match broadcast, a huge
accomplishment in cricket-mad Sri Lanka.
People crammed around television sets, transfixed by the
stout, safari-suited man blamed for suicide bombings that
have killed thousands and made Prabhakaran public enemy
number one.
But most among the majority Sinhalese did not hear what
they hoped for, and the refusal to drop separation raised
suspicions.
Paikiasothy, Saranvanamuttu, executive director of think-tank,
Center for Policy Planning, said Prabhakaran's news conference
had been on the expected lines.
"I think that nothing so far as what they said poses a challenge
to the peace process. Nothing they said was such that has not
been communicated by them before in terms of the arguments
with regards to under what circumstances will you give us
secessionist demand etc. One of the things ofcourse is that
when they were asked about the past and they kept saying
past is past and we must move forward. Those are issues
that have to be addressed at a later point in time."
Saranvanamuttu said.
But there was caution in the streets and confusion in the
markets on Thursday after Prabhakaran refused to drop
demands for a separate Tamil state, making a hoped-for
breakthrough before peace talks in Thailand next month
less likely.
Prabhakaran repeated his demands for a separate minority
Tamil state and for legal recognition of his Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He said said he would lay down
arms when the conditions were right but declined to be
more specific.
He told reporters in the jungle town of Kilinochchi that
the conditions had not yet arisen to abandon the policy of
statehood.
But the government said sharing of power within Sri Lanka
could lead to a viable solution to the long festering problem.
Cabinet spokesman and minister for industries Gamini Peiris,
said: "The government's reaction is very clear. To our minds
one of the most significant aspects of that briefing is definition
that emerged regarding the concept of self-determination.
Mister Prabhakaran in the course of that discussion explained
very clearly what he has in mind when he refers to
self-determination. He indicated
that it was an internal concept. What he was talking about was
sharing of power
within the framework of one country. Now we regard that as
very refreshing and
positive development. The solution that is being contemplated
is within one country
and what is now being focussed upon is a division of power.
The sharing of power
within that country."
Peiris said the very fact that the reclusive leader was
now willing to come out
in open and talk to the media was part of a transformation
process where his
Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) was seeking political
legitimacy.
"It is very significant that Mr Prabhakaran is now
prepared to meet the media.
So this entails visibility and exposure. There are more and
more indications that
the LTTE is coming into the democratic mainstream with
political way of life.
That is a transformation from a military regime into a
political organisation. Now
that is one of the most significant developments."
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Prabhakaran had
hinted at being
willing to settle for internal autonomy under appropriate
conditions, which he saw
as a way forward.
"Yesterday LTTE leader Mr Prabhakaran said that if there
is internal
self-determination, that is acceptable alternative to a
separate state. I think
that was a most important aspect of the conference and it
shows they are
willing to work within the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
So now we can come
up with a solution," Wickremesinghe said on the Good Morning
Sri Lanka
television programme.
Indian newspapers said Prabhakaran was changing his stripes
by seeking Indian
involvement in the Norwegian-brokered peace process. India
blames the LTTE for the
assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
Gandhi had brokered an abortive 1997 peace pact between
the rebels and Colombo.
Between 1987 and 1990, India lost 1,150 peacekeeping troops of
a force deployed
to disarm the guerrillas.
Wickremesinghe, who has staked his political career on the
peace bid, kept his cards close to his chest on Prabhakaran's
demand for a ban on the LTTE to be lifted before the talks begin.
He said the government would have to look at its options on
that.
Wickremesinghe, who swept to power in December promising
to negotiate anything but a separate state, has already said
he will not allow a ban on the rebels to get
in the way of peace talks.
The two sides are preparing for first talks in seven
years to end a conflict that has
killed more than 64,000 people since it began in 1983.
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