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TAMIL TIGERS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION AND DISAPOINTMENT OVER THE DE-ESCALATION AND NORMALIZATION OF CURRENT CRISIS IN SRILANKA By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles The Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalization (Jaffna District Committee) negotiations ended up with frustration and disappointment for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam since eight hours of discussions held at Muhamalai produced no results, LTTE sources reported. Deepan of the LTTE armed forces said the discussion could not produce any substantial results since the talks ended up with no decisions taken. He has described the event as a disappointment. Critics said the LTTE was expecting to kick out the Sri lanka Army virtually from the Jaffna peninsula using the sub committee agreed upon by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE during the second round of direct talks between the parties in Bangkok. This LTTE released photo shows Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Austin Fernando (standing) discussing the current Sri Lanka Security positions of the Jaffna peninsula with the delegations of the Sub-Committee on De-escalation and Normalization, Norwegian Ambassador Jon Westborg who has been condemned as Viceroy by Sri Lanka's Opposition, the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and officials from the Norwegian embassy. The Tamil terrorist group is attempting to kick out the Sri Lankan security forces from Jaffna peninsula using this sub-committee installed at the second meeting of the Ranil Wickremesinghe regime and the LTTE in Bangkok. (Caption by Walter Jayawardhana) During these discussion the LTTE said they were attempting to open up 25 closed roads in Jaffna, the removal of metal wire barricades erected on the sea at Gurunagar, Pasayu and Navaturai, allow Fishing Wadiyas to be erected in those areas, remove troops from the Subhas Hotel and Gnanam Hotels in Jaffna now occupied by the army and allow people to travel in those areas and resettle refugees in areas zoned as high security areas received no positive response from the army. The LTTE said in short their attempts with the army to resolve fishermen's problems, High Security Zones and Resettlement of Refugees ended up in disappointment. The main organ of the LTTE, the Tamil Guardian earlier in a November 13 editorial said the meetings between the military commanders of both parties " are an integral part of the Norwegian Peace process." The newspaper said according to the agreement reached between the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration and the terrorist group the Sub Committee was expected " to examine ways and means to ensure resettlement, the return of private property and the resumption of economic activity in these areas while accommodating the security concerns of each side." The newspaper in no uncertain terms said, "Troops must make way for civilians return." EOM (19/11/02 go2lanka.com)

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