SLA, LTTE meet to discuss Batti-Amparai security

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 June 2003, 11:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanders and Commanders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) met in Vavunathivu, Batticaloa secretariat 2pm Monday to discuss security issues in Batticaloa-Amparai district, security sources said. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) organized the meeting.

Major General A.R.Balasuriya and Assistant Superintendent of Police of Eastern Province Nevil Wijesekera and other SLA officers participated on behalf of the SLA.

Batti-Amparai LTTE Special Commander T. Ramesh, LTTE Batti-Amparai Head of the Political Wing E. Kausalyan, Head of the LTTE Administration S. Reginald and Avaniyan participated on behalf of the LTTE.

Briefing the reporters at the end of the meeting, Commander Ramesh said that they discussed different security matters including the recent killings of ex-militants with the SLA. "We told the Sri Lanka Army officers that LTTE has no involvement with these killings," said Ramesh.

"We also told the SLA commanders that two Sri Lanka Police officers are in our custody. We assured them that the police officers will be released as soon as the member of our Political Section, Sathiyaraj, who was arrested earlier by the SLA is released," added Ramesh.

"SLA commanders said that there is a need to strengthen security in the region and that increased checking on the streets has become necessary. We clearly indicated to them that if the increased checking and harrasment of our people continue it will give rise to added tension and breakout of protests by the people," said Ramesh.