Colombo dragging feet on joint mechanism, says Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 February 2005, 12:11 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is still dragging its feet over the establishment of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of tsunami destroyed Tamil coastal areas in the northeast province," said Mr S P Thamilchelvan, Political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) addressing a press conference following his two hour- talks with Mr Hans Brattskar, Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka held Saturday morning in LTTE Peace Secretariat in Killinochchi, sources said.

"GOSL is increasingly demonstrating its unwillingness to work with the LTTE in rebuilding the devastated areas. GOSL's proposals for a joint mechanism are, in our opinion, impractical and are not worthy of our consideration," Mr.Thamilchelvan said.

"We have submitted several suggestions and proposals through Norwegian facilitators to the GOSL. We feel that GOSL is not sincere in creating a situation that would enable us to move forward. We are not satisfied with the proposals put forward by the GOSL in this regard," Mr.Thamilchelvan said.

"We categorically deny all allegations and propaganda by the GOSL that we are recruiting forcibly children affected by tsunami," said Mr.Thamilchelvan.

"We have taken several steps to rehabilitate children affected by war and now by tsunami. GOSL which failed to provide even basic facilities to children orphaned by the war and natural disaster has no moral authority even to make such allegations," said Mr.Thamilchelvan.

Earlier Mr Hans Brattskar with acting Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) arrived in Killinochchi by a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter around 10 am on Saturday. Discussion held in Killinochchi Peace Secretariat thereafter between the LTTE team led by Mr.Thamilchelvan with Mr.Hans Brattskar mainly centred on forming a joint mechanism between the GOSL and LTTE, sources said.

Mr.Koushalyan, Batticaloa-Amparai district LTTE political head and Pulithevan of the LTTE Peace Secretariat also participated with Mr.Thamilchelvan in the discussion.

Thereafter acting head of the SLMM met with Mr.Thamilchelvan separately. Mr.Brattskar and SLMM acting head left Killinochchi Saturday afternoon, sources said.