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Sri Lankan Government, Rebels Meet

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Sri Lanka has re-established contacts with Tamil rebels to find out if the two sides could resume peace talks to end an 18-year-old civil war, a government minister said Wednesday.
Aug 15, 2001
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Sri Lankan Government, Rebels Meet

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Sri Lanka has re-established contacts with Tamil rebels to find out if the two sides could resume peace talks to end an 18-year-old civil war, a government minister said Wednesday.

``I met several of them and they want to negotiate with the government,'' Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, minister of civil aviation, said after visiting rebel-held areas in the north of Sri Lanka, an island nation off the southern tip of India.

``They are ready to talk, it's now up to us to respond,'' said Fernandopulle, the first minister to visit the rebel-controlled areas since 1995.

Fernandopulle, a Tamil Christian, said he met Monday with some members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He toured Madhu church 80 miles north of Colombo, and visited a cemetery of the rebels and an exhibition hall containing photographs of war victims.

Thousands of pilgrims visit the Madhu church for its feast in August. The Dutch-built 17th century shrine is known for a statue believed to have miraculous healing powers.

The rebels ``said they wanted to be treated with the same respect and dignity as the majority Sinhalese,'' Fernandopulle said.

He also said the rebels were keen to resume peace talks that broke off in 1995. He didn't give other details.

There was no mention of Fernandopulle's visit on the guerrillas' Web site.

Sri Lanka's separatist war came into sharp focus after the rebels attacked the country's only international airport and an adjoining air base on July 24, destroying 12 civil and military aircraft.

The attack set off a chain reaction, with insurance companies slapping higher premium and some shipping lines bypassing the country's ports.

The rebels have been wanting to resume peace talks. But their demands for a cease-fire and lifting of a government ban have been rejected by President Chandrika Kumaratunga until now.

Tamils are the largest minority, making up 3.2 million of the country's 18.6 million people. They say they are discriminated by the 14 million Sinhalese majority in education and jobs. The government denies the charge.

Originally published August 15, 2001.

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