_WORLD WATCH______________________________
________________Sir
Lanka_______________
Peace accord reached
End is in sight after long, bloody war
The Sri Lankan government announced in May that it had reached an agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) that could lay the foundation for peace talks. But the accord did not include a cease-fire agreement, so fighting continued alongside the peace talks.
In a letter sent to the Norwegian government—which is acting as mediator in the peace process—Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said both sides share an “overall objective of finding a negotiated political solution to the ongoing armed conflict.” The letter said the two sides “had decided to take measures to alleviate any hardships and dangers to civilians affected by the conflict and contribute to building understanding and a foundation on which negotiations can take place.”
The Catholic bishops’ conference voiced satisfaction at news of the agreement. At the end of April, a group of bishops had made a pilgrimage to the national Marian shrine of Madhu to plead for peace and also to visit refugee camps in Wanni. They were appalled by the pitiable conditions and especially those of thousands of undernourished children. The bishops also had the opportunity to meet Thamil Chelvam, leader of the LTTE political wing, who assured them that the Tamil Tigers would be willing to halt hostilities if the government showed a “genuine desire for peace and on the condition that negotiations are between equal partners.”