Opposition Party in Sri Lanka Rejects Plan to End Conflict

The country’s main opposition party Thursday rejected the latest proposals for a negotiated settlement of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, which has killed more than 5,000 people in the last four years.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which mainly represents the majority Sinhalese community, said it was shocked by the proposals that emerged from discussions between President Junius R. Jayewardene and two Indian ministers Dec. 19. The proposals were made public by Jayewardene in a Feb. 19 speech.

The Freedom Party, headed by former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, said the government should not go ahead without the consent of the people. It did not say how the people should be consulted, but it has called for a general election.

Concession to Tamils

The plan described by Jayewardene envisages removal of the Sinhalese-inhabited Ampara district from the Eastern province, making the province a Tamil majority area.

It also provides for an institutional link between the new Eastern province and the Tamil-dominated Northern province. Analysts said this was a concession to the Tamil demand for a merger of the two provinces. Tamil guerrillas have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland.

Talks on the plan have been suspended since India suspended its mediation role last week.