SLMM Trinco head meets Elilan in Sampoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 July 2006, 11:09 GMT]
Mr.Ove Janssen, head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee Friday morning met with Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head, LTTE sources in Trincomalee said. The meeting was arranged to discuss the current ground security situation in the district with the SLMM and to brief the SLMM about the difficulties faced by Tamil civilians in Muttur east, LTTE sources said. The meeting was held in the LTTE district political secretariat located in Sampoor in the Muttur east.

Mr.Elilan brought to the urgent notice of SLMM that the movement of civilians from the LTTE held Muttur east to government controlled Muttur town and its suburbs has stopped. Elilan said that this was due to the escalation of abductions and killings by government troops, pro-government paramilitary groups including EPDP, Karuna group and Muslim armed men in the government controlled territory. Residents of Muttur east are now facing untold hardships to buy and transport provisions needed for them for their day to day life, Elilan added.

Mr.Elilan also told the SLMM head that no concrete step has been taken even after several complaints lodged with the SLMM regarding the increase of violence against Tamil civilians in government held areas.

Mr.Ove Janssen is reported to have told Mr.Elilan that the SLMM has been having regular contacts with government security establishment regarding these complaints. He added the SLMM would be taking some positive steps without delay on this matter.

Muttur residents are now coming forward openly to identify persons who are allegedly involved in abduction, killing and intimidation of Tamil civilians in the government held areas, Mr.Elilan said.

Mr.Ove Janssen mentioned about the intention of Karuna group of opening political offices in government held areas, sources said.

Mr.Elilan responded that Karuna group cadres on one hand saying that they are going to open political offices in the government held areas and they are not engaged in attacking civilians and LTTE. On the other hand, the same group have acknowledged that they were responsible for the killing of LTTE commander Ramanan and several LTTE cadres in Thoppur. Clearly, the Karuna group is operating with the support of the State armed forces and that these new developments will further complicate the peace process, Elilan told the SLMM head.