South African President Jacob Zuma's special envoy on Sri Lanka arrived here today on a two-day visit during which he will meet President Mahinda Rajapaka and leaders of the main Tamil party to help the country achieve reconciliation with Tamils.
Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the Deputy President of South Africa, was appointed by President Zuma as special envoy to Sri Lanka in mid-February following the latter's visit here for the CHOGM summit in November last year.
During his stay here, Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet Rajapaksa and the external Affairs Minister GL Peiris, officials said.
Ramaphosa is to meet with the Tamil National Alliance and the government with a view to help Sri Lanka achieve reconciliation.
The South African initiative on the resolution of the Tamil issue in Sri Lanka dates back to August 2012 when Ibrahim Ibrahim then deputy minister of international relations visited Sri Lanka.
The South African government has emphasised that lasting peace could be achieved when the reconciliation process is underscored by an inclusive dialogue that addressed rights and freedoms of the Tamils.
Significantly the Rajapaksa government's nationalist allies have expressed public opposition to the Ramaphosa visit.
"We have seen many dubious international interventions. We stay opposed to international mediation," Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, the nationalist JHU propagandist said.
"We are concerned about his agenda in Sri Lanka," National Freedom Front spokesman Mohamed Muzzamil said.
The efforts would make South Africa the third country in the history of the Sri Lankan conflict to mediate besides India and Norway.
The Indian mediation came in 1987 with the Indo-Lanka Accord of July that year. Norway brokered peace deal with the LTTE during 2002 and 2004. Both efforts came a cropper.
Sri Lankan officials and Tamil leaders have previously visited South Africa to study the country's post-apartheid truth commission.
