New Delhi, India — Tamil militant leaders and Sri Lankan government representatives began a second round of talks Monday in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan aimed at ending the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan officials have said their team would prew proposals but no details immediately available.
The talks in the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu were expected to cover allegations by both sides of violations of ceasefire arranged in June between Tamil guerrillas and the government.
The first round of talks in July lasted six days.
The two groups seek a solution to the long festering ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka over discrimination against minority Hindu Ta mils by majority Sinhalese Buddhists.
The and the Tamils’ main political party, the Tamil United Liberation Front.
The Tamils are pressing for autonomy in the northern and eastern provinces of the island, which the government fears mask attempts at creating an independent Tamil nation.
The talks began amid growing demands from Sinhalese militants for a tougher approach to Tamil terrorism. Last week, Buddhist Sinhalese opposition leaders demanded postponement of the talks until terrorism was eradicated on the island.
Also last week, President Junius Jayewardene told Cabinet ministers that the battle against Tamil militants would be stepped up if the Thimpu talks fail.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1985
