Donors voice Sri Lanka fears

A cease-fire has been in place since last February

Japan and the United States have raised concerns about the stability of Sri Lanka's peace process.

Tokyo's special envoy Yasushi Akashi said he hoped recent cease-fire violations were isolated incidents and did not herald a change in direction.

I hope they are isolated incidents rather than indicating a change of the basic trend towards peace

Yasushi Akashi
Japan envoy

His comments followed a warning from Washington that both government and Tamil rebels should make clear their commitment to peace.

Japan, Sri Lanka's biggest source of aid, and the US hope to see progress before a major donors' meeting in Tokyo in June.

Tensions rose in the last week after clashes in Jaffna and the interception by Sri Lanka's navy of a rebel boat smuggling weapons.

"I think these events cast some doubt on the stability and durability of the peace," Mr Akashi told reporters in Colombo.

"I hope they are isolated incidents rather than indicating a change of the basic trend towards peace and towards sincere negotiations based on mutual concessions."

Reluctant donors

Hours earlier, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had praised both sides for observing a year-long truce.

But he said more US aid would depend on the two sides showing their commitment to peace.

"The price tag for sustaining such interest will be progress," Mr Armitage said in a speech on Friday to a Washington think-tank.

"By June, both the government, all elements of the government, and the [Tamil Tigers] will need to have made some hard choices and compromises that demonstrate the political will to proceed if they want to meet their ambitions for international support."

Mr Armitage urged the governement to respect human rights, and the rebels to renounce terrorism.

Iraq

Japan provides 45% of Sri Lanka's external assistance and is now playing an important political role in the peace process as well as underwriting it financially.

But, like the US and other donors, Tokyo has been reluctant to give substantial sums of money for reconstruction until the peace process has clearly reached a point of no return.

It is hoped the Tokyo meeting will produce hundreds of millions of dollars worth of committments.

At the same time, there is concern that a war in Iraq will overshadow the needs of Sri Lanka.

Mr Akashi said he could only pray that outside events would not divert the attention of the international community away from Sri Lanka's peace process.