SL govt. rejects PA claims of new Trinco LTTE camps

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 September 2003, 13:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government Thursday totally rejected the charges leveled by the opposition, including the People's Alliance (PA), that the security of the Trincomalee harbor and the eastern province is in danger, and said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had not established any new camp in the government controlled areas in the Trincomalee district, except the Kurankupanchan camp, after the ceasefire agreement, denying the PA claims that there are 13 new LTTE camps in Trincomalee.

"The LTTE has not established any new camp in the government controlled areas in the Trincomalee district except the Kurankupanchan camp after the ceasefire agreement," Cabinet spokesman and Constitutional Affairs Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris said at a press briefing held Thursday.

The Sri Lankan government claims that the LTTE has constructed the Kurankupanchan camp in the government-controlled area after the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). But the LTTE leadership insists that its Kurankupanchan camp has been in existence since long before the ceasefire agreement came into operation, that the area has been controlled by the LTTE, and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has been informed of this with maps and other documents soon after the CFA was signed, sources said.

"The government has taken the necessary steps to guarantee the security of the Trincomalee harbor and the entire eastern province," Minister Peiris further said.

He blamed the opposition for trying to sabotage the peace process when the government is engaged in an "honest attempt to resolve the conflict through negotiation." He said the opposition is now trying to frighten the masses by making irresponsible statements. Such attempts have been observed throughout history, media sources quoted Peiris as saying.