A delegation including the Secretary to the President leaves for Jaffna to initiate negotiations.

Extracts from sources
“On October 13, 1994, a delegation of influential officials left for Jaffna. The delegation was led by Kusum Balapatabendi, Secretary to the President. They were given a rapturous welcome by the people of Jaffna, who had gone through hell for over ten years. Quite clearly the Prime Minister had captured the imagination and the mood of the people of Jaffna. Preliminary negotiations with the LTTE commenced in Jaffna that day and the delegation returned to Colombo the following day bringing with them, as a gesture of goodwill from the LTTE, four policemen who had been in captivity since June 1990. To complete formalities, the following communique was issued in Jaffna on October 14, 1994.

“The first round of talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE was conducted in an atmosphere of cordiality and goodwill. The talks were very constructive and held in Jaffna on October 13 and 14, 1994.”

“In his opening speech, Karikalan ,leade of the LTTE delegation, said that the LTTE is committed to peace and peaceful settlement of the Tamil question. Ever since the outbreak of hostilities in June 990, the LTTE leadership has been calling for a cessation of hostilities and peace talks. But the previous government had failed to take any positive steps to bring an end to the war and to start negotiations. But we are glad to note that the news government of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has taken constructive measures to create congenial conditions for peace. We are also please to note that she is genuinely committed to political negotiations.

“The leader of the government delegation, K. Balapatabendi, said the existing situation in the north has become a national problem and that requires for its definitive resolution the involvement of all concerned in peace and harmony. He said that they would discuss how best the government could ensure the adequate supply and equitable distribution of essential commodities to all the people of the north. … Both parties agreed to have a second round of talks within the next ten days.” From War Or Peace in Sri Lanka, Saroj Pathak, T D S A Dissanayaka, Popular Prakashan, 2005.

“In 1994 Chandrika Kumaratunge was elected to lead the country on a peace platform. It was announced on 9th September 1994 that she and the LTTE leader had exchanged warm letters expressing an eagerness to commence the peace process. The first session of talks was fixed for 13th October. Offensive military activities were frozen. While hopes for peace bloomed in the North and South, the LTTE leader intervened in his characteristic style. On 19th September he sent a suicide bomber to sink a naval vessel. In late October 1994 another suicide bomber killed UNP presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake. However, a ceasefire was agreed upon and messages were exchanged. The LTTE kept making demands of a military nature and avoided engaging in political talks. On 19th April 1995 the LTTE unilaterally broke the ceasefire by sinking two naval vessels and shot down two air force planes with newly acquired missiles. It also massacred 45 harmless Sinhalese fisherfolk in Kallara, hoping for government reprisals against Tamil civilians as under the UNP in 1990. Throughout this whole process the LTTE warned people in the North and East against reciprocating the peace activity in the South.” From Briefing No. 4, Peace activism, suicidal politics and civil society, University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), 4th December 2001.

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