DATE=4/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA MONKS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261089
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga has
called for a meeting with the country's influential
Buddhist clergy Monday to discuss the government's
peace proposals as rebel troops mounted a fresh
offensive to recover lost territory in the Northern
Jaffna region. Vandana Chopra has the details from
Colombo.
TEXT: President Chandrika Kumaratunga, has called for
a meeting with the heads of different Buddhist sects
at her home amid rising protests from the clergy about
her constitutional reforms which are aimed at ending
the continuing ethnic war.
This proposed meeting comes following a march, outside
the Norwegian embassy, protesting the proposed peace
talks between the government and the Tamil Tiger
rebels. Norway would be the mediator at the proposed
talks. The Buddhist monks and many nationalist
organizations are wary of making concessions to the
Tamil Tigers.
The independent Sunday Times newspaper says leaders of
the Buddhist monks were meeting over the weekend to
make a decision on their response to the President's
invitation for Monday's meeting.
Sri Lanka is essentially a Buddhist country with 70
percent of the population calling themselves
Buddhists.
The government and the main opposition United National
Party are currently negotiating over proposed
constitutional reforms that aim to
Give more power to the regional councils. President
Kamaratunga said she would then take the reform
proposals to the rebels.
The rebels are fighting government troops to regain
control of their former stronghold, the northern
Jaffna peninsula, which they lost in 1996.
Hundreds of rebels and soldiers are reported to have
been killed or wounded on the peninsula in fierce
fighting in the last two weeks after the rebels
launched a push to capture the key Elephant Pass
military complex.
The Tamil Tigers are fighting for a separate homeland
for the minority Tamil community in Sri Lanka's north
and east. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
TEXT:
NEB/WTW/
09-Apr-2000 07:06 AM EDT (09-Apr-2000 1106 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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