SOUTH AFRICA-Continuity over Change

attempt to get the LTTE to parley. That it was genuinely appreciated by the local population and brought gains to Kumaratunga also registered with the Tigers. It was after all for the first time that Colombo had even acknowledged the day-to-day needs of the people of the region. And for the Tigers, this was an important factor to take into consideration. But the tentative beginning was halted abruptly when the LTTE allegedly let loose its terror tactics with the assassination, on October 24 last year, of the opposition candidate in the presidential elections, Gamini Dissanayaka. Kumaratunga was forced to abandon temporarily all truce moves. However, after her victory in the presidential election, she has put in place further measures. For example, the LTTE's long-standing demand for reopening the Elephant Pass was acceded to when the government assured safe passage through the Pooneryn-Sangupitti route for civilians at the time of the visit of the Pope.