GENEVA, Oct 29: Peace talks between Sri Lanka’s government and its Tamil Tiger rebel foes ended in stalemate in Geneva on Sunday, and analysts feared the deadlock could trigger a fresh surge in violence.

Officials said the talks were held up over a central rebel demand that the government reopen a highway that crosses through rebel territory to the besieged army-held Jaffna peninsula in the Indian Ocean island’s far north.

Diplomats and analysts had expected little from the talks, but had hoped at least for a date and commitment for further negotiations.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) political wing head and chief negotiator S.P. Thamilselvan said the rebels would not participate in new talks until the A9 highway linking the north to the rest of the country was reopened — which the government has refused to do.

Sources close to the talks said each side spent Sunday blaming the other for abuses, and that mediator Norway had to resort to meeting each party separately. They could not even agree on how to deal with humanitarian issues.

“It is regrettable that they have imposed a condition for future talks,” Sri Lankan Health Minister and delegation leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, told a Geneva news conference after the two-day meetings.

The road — nicknamed the “Highway of Death” because of past battles fought over it — was closed in August due to fighting, choking supplies and leading to more hardship for residents. The government says it is unsafe to reopen the road because of rebel artillery fire.

The talks aimed at halting a new chapter in a two-decade civil war that has killed over 65,000 people since 1983 was the first face-to-face meeting in eight months amid a resurgence of violence on the island of 20 million people.

Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes, suicide attacks and offensives since late July. Many of the victims are civilians.

As talks entered a second and final day on Sunday, the foes fought artillery and mortar bomb duels in the northern Jaffna peninsula, in which three soldiers were wounded.

The military also said five civilians were killed in the peninsula when a mine being carried on a bicycle by a suspected rebel accidentally exploded, killing him too.

“Oh no. If they don’t talk, it means that they’ll continue down the same course which they were following earlier, which is the military course of action, which is not leading to any respite to the civilian population,” said Jehan Perera of non-partisan advisory group the National Peace Council.

“It is disappointing news, but it doesn’t mean that there is no hope for the future,” he added. “It means the government has to find a new approach to dealing with and negotiating with the LTTE.”

As both sides were talking on Sunday, the Tigers accused the government of preparing for a possible offensive across the frontline where the artillery duels were being fought.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and are living on food handouts. The United Nations said supplies needed to get to affected people fast.

“Not enough food is moving. It is an extremely vulnerable situation,” said UNICEF’s mission head in Sri Lanka, Joanna Van Gerpen.—Reuters