COLOMBO: Amid demands for a ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and pending review of its relations with the organisation, the Sri Lanka Government has asked Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer not to go ahead with his proposed trip to Kilinochchi for talks on Monday.

The decision came ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, in which the Government is to consider among other measures a possible ban on the LTTE after the attempt on the life of Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa on December 1.

Ceasefire "defunct"

The suspected LTTE attack on Mr. Gothabaya Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the statement of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran on November 27 that the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement had been rendered "defunct" by the Government came up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting on Friday.

There are indications that the Cabinet is divided on a formal ban on the LTTE. The immediate fallout of the ban would be the suspension of the ceasefire agreement and the mediation by Norway. The Government is, therefore, debating the pros and cons of proscribing the Tigers.

Norway has the backing of the whole world, including the Sri Lankan Opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), in its peace mission.

The dominant view in the Government is that it could not be a silent spectator to the continued acts of violence and the open challenge from the LTTE, and that it should assert its right as a sovereign entity.

"The Cabinet will review the Government's relations with the Tigers on Wednesday. Until then, the proposed trip of the Norwegian Special Envoy to Kilinochchi would not have Government approval," Palitha T.B. Kohona, Head of the Sri Lanka Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process, told The Hindu .

When contacted, Erik I. Nurnberg, spokesperson of the Norwegian Embassy here, said Mr. Hanssen-Bauer's visit to the LTTE headquarters had been postponed until after Wednesday on the Government's request.

Asked about the programme of the Special Envoy, he said: "In any case, Mr. Hanssen-Bauer is scheduled to be here till Thursday/Friday."

Mr. Nurnberg declined to comment on the Government's decision to review its ties with the LTTE, and its possible implications on the mediation efforts by Norway.

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