COLOMBO: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eclam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran has asked the Sri Lankan Government to grant “meaningful regional autonomy” to the minority Tamils if it wants to resolve the north eastern conflict.

“If the Government wants peace and normalcy it should grant meaningful regional autonomy that can fulfill the aspirations of the Tamils and, thereby, they could live in their homeland with dignity,” he said

It was the first time that the rebel supremo was spelling out a possible solution to the lingering conflict, and it came in his birth day address, broadcast over the rebels’ clandestine Voice of the Tigers radio on the nightofNov.25.

Prabhakaran was 40 on Saturday, and the Tamils in the war torn northern Jaffna Peninsula celebrated the day by lighting oil lamps in front of their houses at midnight.

Security forces in the north and east had gone on high alert ahead of the birthday and the Heroes’ Week commemorating the LTTE dead and coincided with it, fearing rebel attacks.

“While offering a solution the Government should take into consideration the 40 years of liberation struggle by the Tamil people.” Prabhakaran said in his message.

He said peace and normalcy in. the northeast could only be re stored if the refugees could return, to their homes, the economic embargo on the north was fully lifted and a safe passage provided for the people to travel between the mainland and Jaffna Peninsula. He also called for the lifting of the ban on fishing along the northern coast and emphasized the need for the declaration of a ceasefire,

Prabhakaran charged that the ‘Amy was “not cooperating” with the Government in declaring a ceasefire and said that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who initiated a peace process with the militants, ‘was also unable to force them.

Meanwhile, in sharp contrast to most politicians, President Chandrika Kumaratunga declined to accept an honorary doctorate that a University proposed to confer on her.

Ina letter to the Vice Chancellor of Peradeniya University, published here on Monday, the Secretary to the President regretted Mrs, Kumaratunga’s inability to accept the honor.

“While thanking the University ‘and the Senate for the gesture, her Excellency is of the opinion that it would be inappropriate for her to respond affirmatively” to the University’s proposal to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa, he said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 2, 1994