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| Sunday, 7 July 2002 |
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Tight controls on LTTE sea transport by S. Selvakumar The peace process is edging towards the formal talks stage with the Government and the LTTE close to a trade-off on two key pre-requisites laid down by both sides. They are, the expectation by the Government that the LTTE allows unarmed military personnel to use the A9 highway and, the LTTE demand to be allowed to move its cadres between the North and East by sea. After extensive three-way discussions last week between the Government, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the LTTE, the two sides are understood to be close to an agreement on these two issues. This is expected to ease the way toward formal direct talks that have planned to be held in Bangkok. SLMM spokesman Teitur Torkelsson told the Sunday Observer yesterday that on the issue of LTTE sea movement, it has been agreed that unarmed LTTE cadres in their boats would be accompanied by SLMM members while Navy boats with SLMM members on board will move alongside the LTTE boats. The Navy boats will move alongside for a mile or two only to monitor the movement of LTTE boats. "It is yet to be decided the distance as to how far the boats should move from the shore", Mr. Torkelsson said and added that all matters would be sorted out within the next ten days. The SLMM has requested the LTTE that it should give one or two days prior notice before their boat movement commences. Detailed discussions were held last week in the Vanni between Tiger political wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvan and the SLMM over a gamut of issues. Meanwhile, all parties involved in the peace process are looking into the use of the A9 highway to troop movements for which the LTTE has already agreed, but the government wants to sort out some issues with the LTTE on the use of the highway. The SLMM spokesman said that the government is concerned as to what action it could take in the event of an emergency like a breakdown, accident and any other eventuality, whether the government can rush an ambulance or land a helicopter if and when the need arises. These issues will be put to the LTTE high command and a solution reached. Even where the sea route issue is concerned, the same eventualities are thought of, and discussions are underway to arrive at a solution, the spokesman explained. The peace process is well on target though a date for preliminary talks to be held in Thailand is yet to be decided. Meanwhile, the SLMM will issue a summary of complaints on the violation of the MoU it has received from both parties to the conflict. "We will issue this summary either today or tomorrow to all media institutions," Mr. Torkelsson revealed. |
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