Reconciliate or risk terrorism

Well its a warning and a wonderful suggestion, but all depends on the Sinhalese and the Sri lankan govt. Strait times

 

Tamils stand in their refugee camp Manik Farm in May. Mr Blake said that Sri Lanka should allow more freedom of movement for the Tamils confined to government camps. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON - THE top US diplomat for South Asia says Sri Lanka's failure to share power with minority Tamils following the end of a bloody 25-year civil war in May could lead to renewed violence.

Mr Blake expressed disappointment that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indicated he will not pursue political reconciliation until after presidential elections are held, probably in January.

'The government needs to find a way to move more quickly than January 2010,' Mr Blake said from his office in the State Department.

'Because the risk, of course, is that people will become disaffected and that will give new impetus to terrorism.' He said the government must make Tamils feel like they are part of the political process after a civil war that killed between 80,000 and 100,000 people.

In that war, Tamil Tiger rebels fought for an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils.

Mr Blake also said that Sri Lanka should allow more freedom of movement for the nearly 300,000 Tamils displaced by the war and confined to government camps. Some aid groups fear the camps are actually military-run internment centers designed to indefinitely hold the displaced.

Mr Blake noted some progress on the matter, including Sri Lanka allowing about 10,000 displaced people to leave the camps and its pledge to let another 40,000 leave this month and to have the majority released by the end of the year.

But, he said, the people in the camps were being 'held against their will.' 'They're not allowed to leave,' Mr Blake said. 'It's important for them to have this freedom of movement.' -- AP