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'Balasingham wants India to assist in peace efforts'

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO APRIL 21. The LTTE's chief negotiator, Anton S. Balasingham, reportedly wants India to talk to the banned outfit and its leader, V. Prabakaran, to assist in peace efforts in Sri Lanka.

The Island newspaper quoted Mr. Balasingham as telling an expatriate gathering in Geneva recently that "India feels marginalised due to the involvement of other countries such as Norway, Japan, the U.S. and the EU, which are not from the region."

He reportedly made the claim that "India still wanted to play a role in Sri Lanka, but does not want to get involved... The Indian Government should speak to the LTTE and its leader, Prabakaran, and assist in the peace efforts."He also wanted India "not to speak to" other Tamil leaders, and named the Tamil United Liberation Front president, Anandasangaree, and the Eelam People's Democratic Party leader, Douglas Devananda. Both these leaders are strong critics of the Tigers and have not minced words in expressing their opposition to the LTTE.

The LTTE is a banned terrorist organisation in India since the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and Prabakaran a proclaimed offender.

A demand for the extradition of Prabakaran and others is pending before the Sri Lankan Government.

It may be recalled that over the last year, Mr. Balasingham had first wanted India to provide a venue to hold the peace talks. When this was refused, he had sought transit facilities to travel to rebel-held northern Sri Lanka. India turned down these calls and has, in words and through action, distanced itself not only from the Tigers, but also from any meeting in which they participated.While it restricted itself to a token presence at the ceremonial opening of a mini-donors' conference in Oslo last year, where the Tigers were a participant, India sent a two-member delegation to a similar seminar in Washington on April 14, as the LTTE was not invited.

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