A pro-Tamil newspaper attack on Sri Lanka's new government over a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire has raised doubts over early talks to end the conflict.
Both the government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been observing a ceasefire arranged by Norway since February 23rd. Both parties are set to enter face-to-face political talks in Thailand next month.
The London-based Tamil Guardiansaid a process of de-escalation of the armed conflict in the island's northeast in line with the Oslo-arranged truce deal slowed last week.
"With direct talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government dependent on the full implementation of the ceasefire and the de-proscription of the LTTE, negotiations are clearly not anticipated in the immediate future," the Tamil Guardian, which usually closely reflects LTTE thinking, said in today's issue.
The paper said the ceasefire was being broken by the Sri Lankan army, which had begun extending its security network and imposed new restrictions on the movement of civilians, while the police Special Task Force was accused of similar action in the eastern province.