The extension of the month long ceasefires by the LTTE and the Colombo government was expected, and there was no reason for it to be other-wise. So far, the ceasefires have been diligently observed by the two sides in respect to the avoidance of physical clashes. This has brought enormous relief to the people living in the conflict areas, not to mention urban areas such as Colombo, where the tension caused by the prospect of a sudden attack has diminished to nearly zero. The parties to the conflict too have benefited. They are able to rest and recuperate from their years of fighting.
For the government in particular, the ceasefire has been of great importance. It is able to show that it has delivered results to the people and honoured one of its key election-time promises. The other problems that the government confronts, such as the rising cost of living and the power shortage, cannot be resolved in the short-term even if efficiently dealt with. Although the business climate has improved, it only paves the way for future investments and this takes time. For the LTTE, too, the ceasefire has been important. Apart from making the Tamil people happy, it can reduce the momentum of the international movement to ban it as a terrorist organisation.
However, the present ceasefire situation has a major weakness in that it continues to be based on the decisions taken unilaterally by the government and LTTE. The ceasefire is not one that has been mutually negotiated. This would mean that each party has given its own interpretation to what the ceasefire means, and so far there has been no joint agreement as to its meaning. This leaves room for potential misunderstanding and even deliberate exploitation by either side, or by a recalcitrant faction within it, to embarrass the other.
Therefore, maintaining the stability of the present ceasefire arrangement would be of utmost importance to the government, LTTE and Sri Lankan people. The weakening of the economy, and society in general, caused by the past years of war and political mis-management can only be remedied in a situation of ceasefire or peace. Reports that the LTTE's chief negotiator Dr. Anton Balasingham has submitted proposals to the Norwegian facilitation team for maintaining the stability of the ceasefire are welcome in this context. His proposals apparently call for the segregation of areas of control, the setting up of neutral zones separating both sides, and rules of passage with regard to movement by personnel by either side to the other.