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Amid the recent purchase of weapons and equipment by the Sri Lankan military, Army Commander, General Lionel Balagalle revealed that the battle in the North East of the country was turning in favour of the Security Forces and called on the people to support the war effort against the LTTE. Reports indicate that Balagalle’s optimism in terms of military victory is in contrast to the progress Norway claims to have made with the LTTE in efforts to bring the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the negotiating table. Signs of pessimism over the Norway peace deal and the LTTE’s willingness to come to the negotiation table are arising, with the LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran’s reputation of giving in and talking peace when his army is weakest. Knowing the Sri Lankan Army is now geared with arms, ammunition and growing military strength, in contrast to the depleting armies of the LTTE, analysts claim that this would be the ideal opportunity for the Tiger leader to talk peace until he rebuilds his forces, instead of facing a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan Army. Since 1994 the People’s Alliance government has been trying to clinch a peace deal and bring about a peaceful settlement to the ethnic problem, which has prevailed for the past 20 years, taking with it the lives of around 60,000. No peace deal has so far been effective with the Tigers engaging in their habitual acts of terrorism. Earlier, in the 1980’s during the UNP regime, President Premadasa’s attempt at bringing about a peaceful solution came to a miserable end when around 800 policemen were killed soon after. Prabhakaran just didn’t accept peace. With increasing opposition from the international scenario, Prabhakaran is now trapped. Recently, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar requested Great Britain to ban the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the hijack of a Russian vessel in the seas of Mullativu by the LTTE has caused great condemnation and opposition from the Russian government. The attack on a US vessel by a group of suicide sea terrorists close to Yemen recently, stamped a further black mark on the LTTE. Investigations are being carried out at present, to ascertain that the attack was by the Tigers, who are the only terrorist group known to have suicide sea cadres. Meanwhile, the sympathy so far shown to the LTTE from around the world is now fast depleting with the international community condemning its every brutal act. Even though Norway’s previous attempt to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table has been unsuccessful, recently on the invitation of the LTTE leader himself a special Norwegian team headed by Eric Solheim visited Wanni to meet with the terrorists. The Norwegian team later met President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and discussed matters laid down by Prabhakaran. “Prabhakaran has once more shown signs of talking peace with the Sri Lankan government; a tactic we all know too well,” critics say.
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