Tigers to set the course for Sri Lanka's new govt (AFP) Updated: 2005-11-25 08:31
Sri Lanka's new hawkish president is to make a policy statement pledging
prosperity, but analysts and diplomats say they are focusing on a speech by the
Tamil rebel leader this weekend that could fan fears of a slide back to civil
war.
Left-leaning President Mahinda Rajapakse is slated to open a new session of
parliament Friday with a policy declaration that government officials say is
likely to be a reiteration of his election manifesto that was packed with
promises of subsidies to boost the island's economy.
However, analysts and diplomats say they are more keenly awaiting the annual
policy declaration of Tamil Tiger rebels in view of the new hardline
administration and renewed fears of the country slipping back to war.
Newly-appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (L) and President Mahinda Rajapakse are seen
after Wickremanayake was sworn in at the President House in Colombo
November 21, 2005. [Reuters] | "We're anxiously waiting for (Tiger leader Velupillai) Prabhakaran to make
his speech," a diplomatic source said. "That will give us an inkling about the
direction of the peace process."
Tiger chief Prabhakaran, who turns 51 Saturday, is to deliver his "state of
the nation" speech a day later at the end of "heroes' week" which commemorates
rebels who perished in three decades of fighting.
More than 60,000 people have died in
the Tamil separatist conflict and four previous peace attempts have ended in
failure, leading to more bloodshed.
"Prabhakaran's speech will be more important than
anything else at this time," said former air force chief Harry Gunatillake. "We
can expect a hardening of his stance and I fear he may signal a drift towards
hostilities."
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