'India must urge LTTE to stop war'

New Delhi: The war clouds over Sri Lanka appear to have deepened. A key Tiger commander - the political chief of the LTTE In Trincomalee - has declared the ceasefire null and void.

And though the government says that the ceasefire is certainly not null and void, it has sent its army into an operation against the Tigers.

The latest concern stems from a government offensive on LTTE positions in Trincomalee, where the Tigers have choked water supply, endangering hundreds of Sinhalese farmers in government territory.

There has also been shelling of army positions in Jaffna and clashes with authorities in Muttur and Amparai.

The death toll in the almost civil war-like situation has risen to nearly 900, since the offensive began in December last year and the chief of the Scandinavian peace mission in Sri Lanka has actually admitted that the ceasefire existed only on paper.

Experts agree. Says Colombo-based political analyst, P Sarvanamuttu, "There is imminent possibility of a pitched battle between the two sides, which could well spread into an Eelam War IV."

In New Delhi, experts say India must talk to the Tamil rebels to stop Sri Lanka from lurching one step closer towards civil war. Sources at the South Block said they were advising Sri Lanka against military action.

However, analysts and experts admit that India is not as proactive in the matter as she should be.

Says Sri Lanka analyst, Major General Ashok Mehta, "India should press for political consensus using the carrot and stick method with political parties in Sri Lanka. Secondly, it should reopen lines of communication with the LTTE and use whatever means are at its command to force the LTTE to return to the negotiating table."

Shortly after Mahinda Rajapakse was elected, Prabhakaran came out with a statement saying that they expected the government to come up with a devolution package in a reasonable time frame, failing which they would face consequences.

The present situation seems to suggest that Prabhakaran is indeed carrying out his threat.

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