Tamil rebel illness hits peace efforts

Balasingham (left): Has diabetes and heart problems

Efforts to get the Sri Lankan peace process back on course have been interrupted by illness to the Tamil Tiger rebels' chief negotiator.

Norwegian mediators say Anton Balasingham, a diabetic who has had a kidney transplant, has returned home to London for urgent medical treatment.

The development came as a senior US State Deparment official, Christina Rocca, arrived in Colombo for three days of talks with government officials and politicians.

However, the mediators say that talks between Tiger leaders and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen will go ahead as planned on Thursday.

Norway and Japan have been trying to persuade the Tigers to resume direct negotiations with the Sri Lankan Government and attend an international donors' conference in Tokyo next month.

Mr Balasingham needs treatment and follow-up by his London-based doctors

Norwegian embassy

The rebels pulled out of the negotiations last month after accusing the government of reneging on promises.

Last week, Japan's special envoy, Yasushi Akashi, returned from a visit to the rebels without signs of compromise.

'Post-transplant problem'

Mr Balasingham, 64, was in northern Sri Lanka for talks with rebel leader Prabhakaran.

The Tigers seem in no mood to make concessions

He was flown by Sri Lanka's military from rebel territory to the capital on Sunday, and left for London on Monday, Norwegian diplomats said.

"Mr Balasingham has a post-transplant medical problem and he needs treatment and follow-up by his London-based doctors," a statement from the Norwegian embassy in Colombo said.

Concerns over Mr Balasingham's health led to peace talks in January being switched from Thailand to Germany, as he was finding long-distance travel too strenuous.

As well as his kidney transplant and diabetes, he also has heart problems.

Grievances

The Tamil Tigers face warnings from all sides that their absence from the donor talks in Japan would be a serious blow to the peace process.

But all the signs are that the rebels are sticking to their position, insisting the government must address a list of concerns before they resume negotiations.

Their grievances include:

• The slow pace of development work
• Complaints about the army's failure to vacate civilian homes
• A general sense of marginalisation in the peace process

Correspondents say the risk is that Sri Lanka may lose billions of dollars of vital aid because the warring parties cannot show unity to the international community.