CLOMBO, Feb. 14, Reuter: Six people were killed in Sri Lanka as an influential Indian Journalist was due to begin mediating between the Government and Tamil rebels for an end to the Island’s four year old ethnic. Conflict, Government and authoritative sources said today.

Three civilians died yesterday when their vehicle hit a guerrilla landmine in eastern Trincomalee where troops also shot dead two. Tamil rebels, a Government communique said.

It said a suspected rebel was killed when he tried to grab a gun from a sentry at a military camp in northern Vavuniya.

Authoritative sources said Narasimhan Ram, associate editor of the Madrasbased Hindu newspaper, was to meet rebel leaders in the southern Indian city of Madras to work out a formula for talks between the Sri Lankan Government and separatist Tamils fighting for an independent homeland.

Ram left Colombo yesterday after a three-day visit which included meetings with President Junius Jayewardene, National Security Minister, lalith Athulathmudali and Lands Minister Ghmini Dissanayake, one of Jayewardene’s closest aides.

At least 131 people have been killed since early this month after the Government mobilized more than 5,000 troops in a major anti-guerrilla offensive.

More than 5,000 people have died in the past four years after communal violence flared up in July, 1983.

The sources said Sri Lankan leaders had accepted Ram’s efforts to mediate. They added that Ram would try to arrange a ceasefire between troops and rebels as the basis for a negotiated settlement.

The LTTE has rejected Sri Lanka’s plan for provincial councils in which the minority Tamil community would have greater administrative powers in areas where they are in the majority.

So far India, the chief mediator between the Government and the Tamils, has failed to break the deadlock in negotiations which hinge on the LTTE’s demand for a merger of the north and east. Sri Lanka has rejected this suggestion.

The Hindu has been a local newspaper reporter as “pro terrorist” and have good relations with rebell leaders who are based in Madras, the sources said.

The move occurred as security forces consolidated positions in their eight day drive against the rebels.

A Government spokesman told Reuters troops cleared a 56 km (35 mile) road to Pullmudai from Trincomalee which was previously controlled by rebels.

“The headquarters of the main rebel group was destroyed and two other smaller hideouts smashed by troops”, he said.

He said many rebel strongholds ~ of the Liberation Tigers Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the main guerrilla group, were destroyed in both the north and the east and troops seized large stocks of arms and ammunition.

Residents in Trincomalee district who fled their homes because of rebel violence were gradually returning and security forces were setting up temporary camps there, he said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 20, 1987