Tigers willing to meet relatives of MIAs

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 June 1999, 04:34 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers has informed that they are willing to meet a delegation consisting of 15 representatives from the Association of Relatives of Servicemen Missing in Action in the northern Vanni, said N.Nanayakara, the leader of the organisation.

He said that the Liberation Tigers has sent a message to the organisation through the ICRC.

A team of representatives from the organisation is expected to visit Vanni at the end of next month. However, the MoD is yet to approve the visit.

The Presidential Secretariat has already given permission for the delegation consisting 15 representatives to visit Vanni.

Last month nearly 500 relatives of Sri Lankan Security Forces personnel who have been listed as Missing in Action (MIA) marched to the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

The protestors handed over a memorandum addressed to the President, Chandrika Kumaratunge demanding that they be allowed to travel to Vanni and hold talks with the Liberation Tigers.

Meanwhile, retired Sri Lankan Army personnel have formed a group of advisors to provide counseling to the widows of soldiers killed in the war.

According to official figures, there are 3000 widows who have lost their husbands in the war.