Monitors should adopt a pro-active role, says LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 October 2005, 08:53 GMT]
In a letter addressed to the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Mr. Hagrup Haukland on Friday, LTTE's Political Head Mr. Thamilchelvan alluded that the Scandinavian cease fire monitors in the island should adopt a proactive role by intervening in matters that pose serious challenges to the mandate vested with the role of the SLMM. Accusing Colombo and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for operating with a "political agenda" to disrupt the Cease Fire Agreement and the peace process at large, the letter referred to the recent attacks on the LTTE in the east and the spate of killings of Tamil academics in Jaffna.

The letter further said that the Tigers are concerned on "criminal activities" that affect the Tamil people living in SLA controlled areas.

Excerpts from the letter follow:

"This is in reference to the attack carried out by an armed gang in connivance with the Sri Lankan Military Intelligence unit on the LTTE convoy in Vavunativu on 10 October 2005, targetting Commander Bhanu, the attack on an LTTE unit at Sivaththappalam, Mylavedduvan in Batticaloa killing a volunteer and the killings of academics in Jaffna on 11 and 12 October 2005.

"The fact that the Sri Lankan state media started blaring immediately after the first incident that Commander Bhanu was killed in the attack, is a straight pointer to the master plan and complicity of the SLA in this episode.

"Stands out clearly in this episode and many others before, is the political agenda with which Colombo is manipulating matters to disrupt the CFA and the peace process at large, however much we as the other party strive hard committedly to safeguard the integrity of the CFA.

"SLMM's role cannot be under-played in making interventions into intriguing matters of this nature that are very serious challenges to the mandate and tend to create a foul atmosphere that would nullify the sincerity of purpose with which SLMM was institutionalised. We wish to urge therefore that effective steps be taken to drive home the reality that the SLA does in fact violate the spirit and letter of the CFA and the government adopts a condoning attitude and that this cannot continue unchecked.

"It is also important to note that the government holds the responsibility to maintain law and order in areas that are clearly demarcated as GoSL controlled and we strongly feel that we, as equal partners in the CFA, do have our concern on criminal activities that affect the Tamil people who happen to live in military occupied areas."