Sri Lanka crisis sparks concern in US, Asia

Sri Lankan man reads a newspaper in Colombo, yesterday a day after President Chandrika Kumaratunga sacked three key ministers, suspended parliament and placed troops and police on red alert after rejecting a Tamil rebel blueprint for peace. PHOTO: AFP

President Chandrika Kumaratunga sacked three ministers on Tuesday and suspended parliament, drawing a furious response from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who said her surprise move was aimed at undermining efforts to heal Sri Lanka's racial divide and would spread "chaos and anarchy."

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli made clear the United States supported efforts to end one of Asia's longest-running and bloodiest conflicts, and was concerned at the eruption of long-simmering tensions between the island's top leaders.

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"We urge the president and prime minister to work together, to bolster the peace process and to protect Sri Lanka's democratic institutions," Ereli said.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his hopes that Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga's sweeping political changes would not derail the fragile peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels.

"He hopes that President Kumaratunga's decisions which were announced today, including a temporary suspension of parliament, will not have a negative impact on the peace process," a spokesman said.

The European Union's Italian presidency and the European Commission "noted with concern" the steps by President Chandrika Kumaratunga..

The EU said the political cohabitation between the rival parties of Kumaratunga and Wickremesinghe had "contributed significantly" to progress made in peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

But Tuesday's events "may put at risk the spirit of cohabitation which has proven vital for the sustained forward momentum of the peace process", the 15-nation EU said in a joint statement with the executive Commission.

Japan, which plays a major role in providing financial support to rebuild war-ravaged Sri Lanka, voiced concern at the political crisis in the country yesterday.

Japan is actively supporting peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and has committed a special envoy to the process, Yasushi Akashi.

The Japanese foreign ministry statement added that Tokyo hoped peace talks would be resumed promptly.

"The two leaders should at least endure each other long enough for the peace process to work its way through," The Straits Times in Singapore said in an editorial.

"Sri Lanka has never been this close to a settlement. This is make or break."