PLOTE meets President over Vanni, elections

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 December 1999, 17:41 GMT]
Siddarthan Tharmalingam, leader of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) met with the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge today to discuss the situation in the Vanni, said sources.

Balachandran Vaithilingam, MP for Vanni, and the PLOTE secretary, Sathanantham met also the President along with the Siddarthan, sources said.

PLOTE sources said the delegation appealed to the president among the other things, to declare Thiruketheeswaram and Madhu areas as demilitarized zones, and to resume food and kerosene supplies to the Vanni.

PLOTE officials said the President had assured them that food supplies to the Vanni will resume within two days by the opening of a route. No further details were available.

Regarding the request for kerosene, the President reportedly told the PLOTE delegation that the Security Council would meet soon to discuss the resumption of supplies to the Vanni.

PLOTE sources said the delegation had also discussed the forthcoming presidential elections with the President, but declined to elaborate.