By MARILYN ODCHIMAR
Core Dec. 28, Reuter: Sri Lankan rebels said today they had demanded the release of 3,000 Tamils detained without trial as a precondition for direct negotiations to end their three year old separatist war.
Kanagaratnam, Alias Raheem, Depuader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil EELAM (LTTE), told Reuters by telephone last night that he and other rebel leaders laid down the condition at a meeting with a Go Mission led by Parliament Member, Vincent Perera.
The talks were held yesterday for about two hours at Kankesanturai in the northern province of Jaffna.
“We were able to understand each other’s problems and had some frank talks. This was a talk of goodwill”, Raheem said, adding the LTTE would not consider this as direct talks.
“We told them that only after the government has released the estimated 3,000 innocent Tamils detained in jails and army camps would we hold direct negotiations with the government”.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 2, 1987
